Rodd and Davcon set to sizzle at Sandown

By Michael Pitman,

Jockey Michael Rodd is looking to improve on an already successful partnership with Davcon in Saturday's Le Pine Funerals Cup at Sandown on the way to trying to win successive Winter Championship Finals.Rodd won last year's final on the Mark Kavanagh-trained Sea Battle and is keen on Davcon's chances of giving him a double after he qualified for the Listed Flemington feature on July 4 with a brilliant Championship heat win at Cranbourne last start.It was only Davcon's second start this campaign

Rodd won last year's final on the Mark Kavanagh-trained Sea Battle and is keen on Davcon's chances of giving him a double after he qualified for the Listed Flemington feature on July 4 with a brilliant Championship heat win at Cranbourne last start.

It was only Davcon's second start this campaign and with Rodd aboard he sustained a 600-metre run to beat Bendigo heat winner Sensational Toy by 3-1/4 lengths.

Trainer Heath Conners said the Winter Championship had been the target for Davcon since his second in the Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day and he was pleased with how well the horse progressed after his first-up ninth at Flemington last month.

"He is flying at the moment," Conners said.

"He won very well at Cranbourne and it is a similar field at Sandown so I'm expecting a very good run from him again."

Conners said Rodd, who has ridden Davcon three times for two wins and a second, "booked himself" for the Winter Championship Final after the Cranbourne win.

Rodd also won on Davcon at Moonee Valley last July and finished second on him at Caulfield a week later.

Former New Zealander Benelli, $3.80 with TAB Sportsbet, looks the biggest danger to Davcon ($4.60) on Saturday.

Formerly trained by Michael Pitman, Benelli joined the Bevan and Richard Laming stable so he could run in the Winter Championship.

The six-year-old is a class performer and notably was beaten in a photo-finish on a slow track when a close second to Final Reality in the Group Two Coupland's Mile over Saturday's distance of 1600m at Riccarton in November 2007.

Benelli has had only two starts this campaign but virtually assured himself of a place in the Winter Championship Final when a fast-finishing second to Gold Salute at Flemington last Saturday.

Richard Laming said it was decided to back up Benelli at Sandown to give him three weeks to the final.

"We are happy with him and if he handles the back up he will run a cheeky race," he said.