Maldivian Back With A Bang

Reigning Cox Plate hero Maldivian had not won first up in five previous attempts but few were surprised when the Zabeel gelding fought on tenaciously to land a Group 1 laden $400,000 Group 1 Sportingbet Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

With Michael Rodd employing the usual catch me if you can tactics on the triple Group 1 winning Rockmount graduate, Maldivian gamely held off the finishing burst of former New Zealander Alamosa by a neck with three-quarter of a length back to the hard trying Theseo back in third.

Normally reticent trainer Mark Kavanagh was bullish of the 6yo gelding’s chances before the race.

“I had never put the blinkers on him first-up before,” Kavanagh said.

“He was much sharper today and he was also a lot leaner than he has been in other first-up runs, he didn’t get much of a break between the spring and autumn so he was a lot leaner.”

Kavanagh revealed he was toying with the idea of changing tactics after earlier races seemed to favour the swoopers but Rodd was less than enthusiastic about changing Maldivian’s preferred racing pattern

“That’s his job and I do not interfere with what he does with the horse and he had it technically sorted out,” said Kavanagh.

Maldivian takes his overall record to 9 wins, 5 seconds and 5 thirds from 27 starts for earnings of $2,783,550