Michael Rodd gets the chance to claw one back from Corey Brown when he rides dominant favourite Faint Perfume in the VRC Oaks.
As the No1 rider for the Mark Kavanagh stable, Rodd's expectations during the Spring Carnival were high.
But with Melbourne Cup winner Shocking in the race with just 51kg, Rodd faced the reality it was impossible for him and Brown snared the ride.
''It's too painful getting to that weight, I wouldn't be able to walk out of the jockeys' room,'' Rodd said.
The stable's Victoria Derby candidate Shamoline Warrior was all the rage but a high temperature on race morning forced him out of the Classic which was taken out by Monaco Consul ridden by Brown.
Kavanagh doesn't have a runner in today's Oaks (2500m) leaving Rodd free to take the mount on the Bart Cummings-trained Faint Perfume, which he rode to an impressive lead-up victory in the Wakeful Stakes.
The filly is odds-on to win the Classic but Rodd was being cautious about declaring her a good thing.
''I was thinking that coming to the Derby last Saturday so I don't want to get too far ahead of myself,'' he said.
''She's definitely got a lot on her rivals, it's well documented.
''My job is to keep her out of trouble and give her a nice ride.''
After getting away slowly in the Thousand Guineas (1600m), Faint Perfume was the widest runner in the straight and flashed home to finish third, half a length from the winner Irish Lights with Melito splitting the pair.
Faint Perfume came out over 2000m in the Wakeful to beat Oaks rival Silent Surround by three lengths with Melito another 214 lengths third.
A win for Faint Perfume would give Cummings his ninth Oaks victory.
His first winner in the race, Light Fingers in 1964, graduated from Oaks winner to Melbourne Cup winner within a year and Cummings has already suggested he believed Faint Perfume could follow a similar route to the 2010 Melbourne Cup.
Although Faint Perfume looks close to a sure thing, it may be Brown and Melito who foil her attempt with the jockey and trainer Gerald Ryan bullish about the filly's chances.
The blinkers go back on Melito who will be ridden back in the field to give her every chance to settle.
''She will be ridden dead cold,'' Ryan said.
''That's her best chance and with the blinkers back on I'm sure she will settle.
''Corey is convinced she will get the 2500m if she can be ridden back and so am I.''
ACTTAB Sportsbet reported yesterday that 80per cent of money invested on the race so far was for the favourite with support also for Melito bringing her in from $15 to $13.
AAP
TODAY
Group1 VRC Oaks at Flemington Racecourse, 2.55pm. TV time: Live on Prime from 11am.