Michael Rodd thanked the racing gods after heartbreak filly Dariana repaid punters with a dominant win in the $500,000 Group One Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm on Saturday.Rodd was suspended last week when Dariana threw her Queensland Oaks chances away by turning her head into an adjacent stall just as the field jumped and taking no part in the race.Rodd incurred his suspension when he partnered Dariana into third place at her previous run in the Doomben Roses and the Oaks mishap, when his close

Michael Rodd thanked the racing gods after heartbreak filly Dariana repaid punters with a dominant win in the $500,000 Group One Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Rodd was suspended last week when Dariana threw her Queensland Oaks chances away by turning her head into an adjacent stall just as the field jumped and taking no part in the race.

Rodd incurred his suspension when he partnered Dariana into third place at her previous run in the Doomben Roses and the Oaks mishap, when his close mate Steven Arnold was aboard, allowed him to regain the mount in the Derby.

"I was just lucky enough that she got out the gates and I was the one steering her around," Rodd said.

"It's incredible. I was at home on the lounge watching the Oaks - I am very close with Steven Arnold and I felt for him because it's not the way you want things to happen."

Dariana's win gave the legendary Bart Cummings his 260th Group One win and provided the master conditioner with the perfect tonic as he recovers from a recent dose of influenza.

Rodd rode Dariana ($5) with his typical patience and the Redoute's Choice filly exploded when he sent her to the front passing the 250m mark of the 2400m Classic and went on to record a 4-1/2-length win.

Victorian colt Kutchinsky ($3.20 fav) came from a long way back to finish second but he was no match for the winner.

Queensland Oaks winner Miss Keepsake ($8) was a game third on the seven-day back-up and her rider Chris Munce felt she was unlucky not to finish second.

Rodd said he was always happy during the run but was mindful of the fact that Dariana had not raced for nearly a month.

"I couldn't see how far they were in front of me," Rodd said.

"But I knew that there was a nice tempo and my filly was happy where she was and that was the main thing.

"It's a long way up the straight and she is such a big strider. You just have to slowly pick them up and that's what she did.

"I was in the right spot and I was getting all the nice runs but I just had to keep in mind she hadn't raced for a quite a while."