South Australian raider The Black Rod made up for the disappointment of missing out on a run in last week's South Australian Oaks by scoring a stylish win in today's Charge Forward Super VOBIS Handicap at Caulfield.

All the running in the race was made by the Peter Moody trained Guild, which was forced to go to the early lead after drawing the extreme outside barrier.

Guild shot three lengths clear at the top of the straight but the early effort told, with The Black Rod ($7.0-$8.50) putting in a strong finish to win by 1¼ lengths from Guild ($4.00-$4.60-$4.40F) with Fuji Fantasy ($21-$26) third.

"It was worth the trip", said The Black Rod's elated trainer Lloyd Kennewell after winning his first race in Melbourne.

"She missed the Oaks last week in Adelaide. If she got a run in that she was going round in that."

Kennewell pointed out that The Black Rod was lying fourth in the betting for the Oaks before missing out on a run as second emergency.

"I had to just freshen her up this week", Kennewell said.

"We didn't do too much with her. She just had a little gallop on Tuesday morning."

Kennewell was standing near Guild's trainer Peter Moody while watching the race and admitted that he thought his horse was beaten when Guild broke away in the straight. 

"I thought we were struggling at the top of the straight", he said.

"I thought we were going to run a nice second but in the last 100 she really kicked into overdrive."

On the strength of her Adelaide form, he thought she was good value in the on course market at $9.50 and backed her accordingly.

Kennewell's Oaks ambitions for the daughter of Black Hawk did not end in Adelaide, with plans now to take on the Queensland Oaks during the Brisbane Carnival.

"We'll probably go for the Doomben Roses in a fortnight or three weeks and then go to the Oaks", he confirmed.

The 23 year old Lloyd who trains with his father Gary at Morphettville, has been training for "about 4 or 5 years."

"I've got a good team going along at home with Dad", he said. The pair won a race each at Morphettville last weekend.

© Cyberhorse 2010 Bill Saunders Published 28/04/07