Rod’s Shout in Adelaide

John Hickmott has been in racing long enough to know the pitfalls of shouting the odds about a maiden winner.

But he’s got an opinion of Rod’s Opinion and earlier this week entered the last-start Morphettville winner for the G1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7.

“He’s a lovely horse and if he wins another couple of races in February, who knows?  Anything’s possible in this game.”

Hickmott’s stable at Murray Bridge isn’t far from where he managed Lakewood Stud and its champion sire Bellotto for many years.  He also put the polish on stakes winners like Frenzel Rhomb, Taos Pleasure and Pay Keys and the finishing touches on his trainer sons Robert and Michael.

Hickmott races Rod’s Opinion in partnership with Nola How and Rod Blackwell from the Yorke Peninsula.  “Ampulla Lodge had passed him in at the 2013 Adelaide Magic Millions.  We leased him first and then took up an option to buy last year.”

Rod’s Opinion is a son of Greta West Stud sire God’s Own and he was beaten a length first-up on January 3 before edging out Regal Spur (Flying Spur) by a nose in the Schweppes Maiden Hcp (1250m) last Saturday.

“He has a beautiful temperament and appreciated being given time.  The God’s Owns are lovely, big horses but a lot of trainers tried to boogie too early.  We’ve got three and you can’t rush them.”

Stablemates Stone Sober and Boldacious Girl are both working up to wins after being placed at Murray Bridge earlier this month.  Hickmott strapper Carina Riggs races Boldacious Girl who won at Balaklava last time in.

Rod’s Opinion (3g God’s Own – The Rossa by Dehere) will start again over 1300m on February 7 or Hickmott may hold off and go straight into a 1600m event a week later.