MICHAEL Rodd did not need too much convincing to delay the start of his holidays to take in the two-day Grafton Cup meeting beginning today, reports The Age. It says: After all, his glittering career, which includes wins in the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate, began at the carnival in northern NSW 11 years ago. ''I've got great memories of the carnival as I rode my first winner (Tornato Lass) here in 2000 for (trainer) Brian Guy and I'm lucky enough to have a good ride for him in the cup on Thursday

MICHAEL Rodd did not need too much convincing to delay the start of his holidays to take in the two-day Grafton Cup meeting beginning today, reports The Age.

It says: After all, his glittering career, which includes wins in the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate, began at the carnival in northern NSW 11 years ago.

''I've got great memories of the carnival as I rode my first winner (Tornato Lass) here in 2000 for (trainer) Brian Guy and I'm lucky enough to have a good ride for him in the cup on Thursday, so I'm happy to put off my break,'' Rodd said yesterday.

Tomorrow, Rodd partners Guy-trained Shuffle The Cash in the $150,000 Grafton Cup but today he will ride the favourite for the $130,000 Ramornie Handicap when he becomes the 26th jockey to ride Black Piranha in either a trial or a race when the dual Stradbroke Handicap winner carries topweight of 61 kilograms in the rich sprint.

''I've won the cup before but the Ramornie is a race I've always wanted to win and this is a great chance for me,'' Rodd said. ''He's got plenty of weight but has a definite class advantage as he is a multiple group 1 winner. He's drawn well (barrier seven) and so they'll find him pretty hard to beat.''

Black Piranha, who comes off an eighth placing at his latest attempt at the group 1 Stradbroke Handicap last month, was the $3.60 favourite for the Ramornie overnight. (www.theage.com.au)