Michael Rodd has struck a purple patch of form, landing a winning treble at Moonee Valley on Wednesday just 11 days after his latest Group One success in the Queensland Derby.Dariana's facile Derby win brought up Rodd's fourth Group One of the season and, although there were no spoils of that standard on offer at Moonee Valley, he did enjoy a similarly easy victory aboard Tinamou in the Essendon Jeep Grand Cherokee Handicap (2040m)."He was just so happy out there, he could have gone around again

Michael Rodd has struck a purple patch of form, landing a winning treble at Moonee Valley on Wednesday just 11 days after his latest Group One success in the Queensland Derby.

Dariana's facile Derby win brought up Rodd's fourth Group One of the season and, although there were no spoils of that standard on offer at Moonee Valley, he did enjoy a similarly easy victory aboard Tinamou in the Essendon Jeep Grand Cherokee Handicap (2040m).

"He was just so happy out there, he could have gone around again in the last race and won," Rodd said.

Robert Smerdon's in-form wet-tracker led all the way to win the third race of his current preparation by 4-3/4 lengths.

The effort will encourage Smerdon to step Tinamou up in distance at his next start.

"On that win you'd reckon he would run 2400 metres," Smerdon said.

"He just travelled so well but with 59 kilos and a wide barrier it didn't appear to be the best recipe for success.

"Michael put that to bed early on though by going to the front."

Rodd also brought up the first city win for consistent filly Happy Angel and her ailing trainer Dale Schmitt.

Schmitt had previously been forced to watch his filly race from a hospital bed while battling cancer, so he took great pride in cheering her home to a short neck victory in the Essendon Jeep and Hyundai Handicap (1000m).

"I've been pretty crook for the last couple of months so it's been good to come today and enjoy my first city winner," Schmitt said.

"I've been battling throat and tongue cancer and had seven weeks of chemotherapy which finished in late April.

"The radiation just grabs hold of you and you can't do much.

"I was stuck in hospital when she won at Bendigo and Geelong so she's been a real tonic for me.

"We'll take her to the Dermody Stakes in Adelaide in late July and try to get her a stakes win."

Rodd's other victory came aboard trainer Shaun Dwyer's improving three-year-old Face Off who has been earmarked for stronger races in the spring after his second straight win since resuming from a spell.