Michael Dee has answered a call from trainer John Thompson to ride at Rosehill
Michael Dee has answered a call from trainer John Thompson to ride at Rosehill on the Civic Stakes program as he pursues his first Sydney win.
New Zealander Dee, who is based in Melbourne, has fives rides on Saturday’s program including Invincible Knight for Thompson in the Listed Civic Stakes (1350m) and Alegria for Godolphin trainer Darren Beadman in the Listed Winter Cup.
“Rides were pretty light down here in Melbourne for Saturday and John Thompson rang my manager and said there were a couple of rides there if I wanted,” Dee said.
“They have light weights so that’s how it came about.”
Dee is able to ride light comfortably with four of his five rides on Saturday on the minimum 53kg.
A second placing on another Thompson-trained horse last month at Randwick led to the trainer seeking out the young hoop for the rides on Saturday.
Four-year-old Invincible Knight won over the course and distance last start with 61kg on a wet track in lesser grade.
“His last start was a pretty impressive win,” Dee said.
“He came from well back in the field. The step up to this race will probably be a little bit tougher but the way he won last start he should be competitive.”
Thompson has also booked Dee for last-start midweek city winner Domed in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap (1900m).
While Dee is yet to win on a Sydney racetrack, he has been placed at Group One level on Allergic in the 2016 Metropolitan at Randwick.
The only time he has ridden at Rosehill was last December when he had four rides with his best result a close second on Hazzabeel in the Festival Stakes.
Dee won the Listed Scone Cup in NSW last month on Duca Valentinois, giving Beadman his first feature win as stand-in trainer for Godolphin after John O’Shea’s departure.
Dee teams again with Godolphin on Alegria in the Winter Cup (2400m).
