Michael Dee celebrated his return to Melbourne racing with a ‘dream’ double, including Saturday’s feature event at Flemington.
The New Zealand native teamed with the Peter Snowden-trained King Of Roseau to score a third win in Victoria’s first Group race of the season, the $200,000 Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
The victory came after teaming with Bold Soul to win the day’s second event, which was Dee’s first ride in Melbourne since the Mornington Cup meeting on April 14 before taking up a two-month contract in Japan, where he rode five winners.
“It is a dream return and I’m just hopeful now that it can continue,” Dee, a 15-time Group 1 winner, said of his day out.
King Of Roseau’s win came nine years after his maiden Aurie’s Star Handicap success, aboard Sooboog, while he also won the 2023 edition aboard It’sourtime.
Dee knew well before the post that he had a third Aurie’s Star Handicap win in the bag with the $3.40 chance launching a strong run down the outside section of the track to score a decisive 1-1/2-length win over Bandi’s Boy ($31), who finished a length clear of Marble Nine ($5.50).
Splash Back, the $2.60 favourite, trailed King Of Roseau in the run but was unable to go with that gelding when the race got serious and finished in fifth spot, three lengths from the winner.
Dee predicted the win, King Of Roseau’s fourth from 18 starts, would not be his last feature victory.
“The way he won that, there’s definitely bigger things in store for him,” he said.
“He’d had the one look down the straight before today in what was a very good form race, he acquitted himself well that day, and he won easily today and gave me a lovely feel.”
Given King Of Roseau’s liking for Flemington, Snowden said it was unlikely to be his final trip to the track this season.
“Now we know he really likes Flemington there’s no doubt we’ll be back at some time through the year,” Snowden said.
“Not every horse handles Flemington down the straight, but this horse has got a bit of an affinity for it and that was a dominant win there today.”
Flemington has a good suite of straight-track features leading all the way to the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) in November, including the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) on Makybe Diva Stakes Day and Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) on Turnbull Stakes Day.
