Multiple Group One winning jockey Michael Rodd has celebrated his return to Brisbane racing by riding an early quartet at Doomben.
Rodd won the first three races on Love To Live ($31) for trainer Barry Baldwin, Bryan Guy’s Eastern Parade ($2.20) and Les Kelly’s Prince of the Turf ($3.80).
He did not have a ride in the fourth race but came out in the fifth to win again for Guy on the promising Starcourt ($1.45).
Rodd, who has just completed his second year in Singapore, rode about 400 winners as an apprentice and won the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership when apprenticed to Bryan Guy in the early 2000s.
He is in Brisbane to ride in the State of Origin jockeys series on Saturday but elected to ride at Doomben when Guy asked him to ride a couple of horses at the meeting.
Rodd said he always enjoyed coming back to Brisbane even though he will represent NSW in the State Of Origin.
“Yes, I am originally from NSW but I spent many happy years in Queensland before heading to Melbourne and then Singapore,” Rodd said.
“To ride a winner for Bryan is also great, it was just like old times,.”
Eastern Parade is trained by Guy in partnership with his son Daniel and it was their first winner at Doomben as a combination.
“Michael rode him perfectly. Eastern Parade was probably one run short when beaten at Doomben at his previous start,” Dan Guy said.
Guy’s Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way is to have his first start for new trainer John Moore in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Love To Live’s win gave former Brisbane Race Club chairman Bill Sexton a special thrill as he bred the mare and races her with several members of his family.
