Michael Rodd revealed how weights worked in his favour after classy sprinter Catapulted made a one-act affair of Saturday’s Doveton Stakes.
Trainer Mark Kavanagh prepared the quinella in the Listed 1000m sprint at Caulfield with Rodd only taking the ride on Catapulted when stablemate Undeniably, who had 54kg, didn’t get enough weight for him.
Catapulted ($6), labelled a “dear old horse” by Kavanagh, signalled he was right on target to defend his Standish Handicap crown on New Year’s Day as he spaced Undeniably ($31) by three lengths under 60.5kg with a long neck to Hotham Heights ($21) third.
“I trialled the pair of them at Werribee two weeks ago and I leant towards the other horse,” Rodd said.
“Had he (Undeniably) got my weight I would have gone the other way, and I wasn’t far wrong, but this bloke just felt like he wasn’t interested in his trial.”
Seven-year-old Catapulted ($6) saved his best for raceday as he settled midfield from a wide barrier before powering down the centre to notch the fifth first-up win of his career from nine attempts.
He took his overall record to 12 wins from 32 starts.
“He used to thrill you every time he went out on the track in work but I think these high-class horses just get over it, going out and running time all the time. They know they can do it,” Rodd said.
“He just got under our guard. We were thinking the Standish would be when he would be peaking but he’s just such a great first-up horse.
“That was pretty good, what he did out there today.”
The winner and Undeniably will be kept apart for their next starts.
Catapulted will race in the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington while Undeniably is likely to head to the Christmas Stakes at Caulfield.
Kavanagh said it was great to see Catapulted return to winning form for the first time since the Standish in January.
“He’s got a great first-up record although we still thought we left a fair bit in the tank because we wanted him right for the Standish,” the trainer said.
“And it was a delight to see the other horse run second too.”
