JOCKEY-ROOM go-to man Peter Robl is set to play giant-killer again at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Benalla boy has called Sydney home for the past eight months, and Hall of Fame trainers Bart Cummings and Gai Waterhouse have again called upon Robl's services.
Waterhouse's stable jockey, Blake Shinn, may be out suspended but racing's first lady has utilised Robl well.
The duo produced a gem when Dreamscape landed a plunge on debut in last weekend's Up And Coming Stakes.
Robl again slots in for Shinn aboard the Cummings-trained Indirect in Saturday's Golden Rose. The filly steamed home to victory at Rosehill on debut and was scratched from last Saturday's Silver Shadow Stakes as the master mentor eyed off this weekend's $1 million race.
"Yeah, I'm a bit of a pinch-hitter," Robl said on Thursday. "Just wait your turn, all is good at the end of the day."
The 36-year-old is confident Indirect is heading places. "She is bred to be anything being out of Blessed Be, the same family as Saintly, God's Own and co," Robl said.
God's Own was an unlucky fourth behind Paratroopers in the 2005 Golden Rose, but the son of Redoute's Choice emerged two races later to win the group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
"Indirect couldn't have been any more impressive on debut, she hit the line with gusto," Robl said. "She has drawn well in barrier two, and I expect her to be fighting out the finish at some stage."
Asked about the Anthony Cummings-trained Duporth, which returned with a win in the San Domenico Stakes, before finishing third in the Up And Coming, Robl said: "He has drawn one and I expect he'll be a bit closer than the other day."
Anthony Cummings said the Golden Rose assault for Duporth had been planned two months ago.
"I was loath to do a lot of work with him while at Warwick Farm and brought him along steadily," Cummings said. "I let the races bring him on fitness-wise and the last run would determine how much work I did with him last Tuesday.
"He galloped really well on the course proper at Randwick. He worked with another horse ridden by Danny Nikolic and he said if he [Duporth] runs up to that gallop he can't beat him."
Nikolic reunites with the Peter Snowden-trained Desuetude in the Golden Rose with rival Kerrin McEvoy on the suspended list.
Nikolic was aboard Desuetude when winning on debut at Hawkesbury and again at Rosehill before McEvoy took over and kept the unbeaten record intact when scoring a strong win in The Run To The Rose a fortnight ago.
"Desuetude is another nice horse and so is Indirect's stablemate Royal Striker," Robl said. "I didn't have a lot of luck on it [Royal Striker] last start in The Run To The Rose."
Royal Striker is also prepared by Bart Cummings, and Robl rides the Cummings-trained Dane Flyer in The Nova Achiever Handicap. Robl was on board when Dane Flyer rattled home to score a first-up win at Rosehill at big odds.
"The horse will strip fitter and the step up in distance will suit," Robl said.
Robl also takes over from Shinn on the Waterhouse-trained Ashikaga in the French Boxing Handicap. The five-year-old gelding is out to make it four wins from as many starts. Ashikaga races in the same colours as Dreamscape.
"A very exciting animal," Robl said. "He drew and outside gate but showed them a clean pair of heels last start. He goes up in grade but drops 5.5 kilograms in weight. I'm really looking forward to riding him."
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