Jockey Michael Rodd has warmed to New Zealand stayer Figure Of Speech ahead of the Herbert Power Handicap at Caulfield tomorrow.
Rodd will reunite with the 8-year-old for the first time since the winter when he rode the Seven Figures gelding twice for a win in the Banjo Paterson (2500m)
at Flemington on July 4.
"He is a bit above average," Rodd said. "He is a nice horse who finds the line well and it will be good to be back on him."
With 50.5kg in the Caulfield Cup, Figure Of Speech is down the list in 34th place on the elimination order and needs to win the Herbert Power to be exempt from the ballot.
His chances of making the Melbourne Cup field would also get a boost as he would be liable for weight penalty. An extra 1kg would take him as high as 32nd on the list.
Rodd, who is already committed to riding Maldivian in the Caulfield Cup, said timing was important when riding Figure Of Speech, who has only a short, but explosive, sprint at the end of his races.
"He can race just off the speed and has a sprint for about a furlong [200m]," Rodd said.
"He then just keeps grinding away."
Figure Of Speech has raced 45 times for 10 wins and last week, ridden by Stephen Baster, was an eye-catching fifth to Light Vision in the listed Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington.
Last year, Dolphin Jo was $12 when he won the Herbert Power after finishing fourth in the Bart Cummings but TAB Sportsbet has Figure Of Speech at $41 to be as effective with a similar form line.
Fast-emerging South Australian galloper Alcopop is $4.20 favourite to make it four wins in a row in the Herbert Power which would qualify him for the Melbourne Cup. He is not in the Caulfield Cup.
Only three starts ago, he beat a Class 3 field at Morphettville and he has since posted wins in the listed Balaklava Cup (1600m) and listed JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
Queensland Derby runner-up Shocking has been crying out for ground and gets his chance at $4.60 on Saturday, while Craig Williams is hoping to win his third Herbert Power in five years on Capecover ($6), after landing the race on Leica Falcon in 2005 and Growl in 2006.
New Zealand is particularly well represented with Sand Hawk, who beat Capecover at Moonee Valley, drawing barrier five and possibly looking a better chance than three of his poorly drawn compatriots: Young Centaur (15), Hoorang (19) and Mr Tipsy (20).
- AAP
Jockey Michael Rodd has warmed to New Zealand stayer Figure Of Speech ahead of the Herbert Power Handicap at Caulfield tomorrow.
Rodd will reunite with the 8-year-old for the first time since the winter when he rode the Seven Figures gelding twice for a win in the Banjo Paterson (2500m)
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