Melbourne Cup: Former Napier Boys’ High pupil rides a Kiwi hope

Former Napier Boys’ High School pupil Michael Dee dreamed he’d make it so big in racing. But for tomorrow’s Melbourne Cup, he’s taking everything in his stride as he strives to ride the next New Zealand winner of the race that stops two nations.

Michael Dee celebrating his first win in Hong Kong in May last year. Tomorrow he has his fourth ride in a Melbourne Cup, hoping Sharp 'N' Smart can carry him to his first win in the big race. Photo / HKJC Racing Images

Michael (Mick) Dee, who on Friday night at Moonee Valley landed career win 783 and rides New Zealand-trained Sharp ‘N’ Smart in Melbourne tomorrow, has had three rides in the Cup, for last on Gallante in 2017, fifth on Persan in 2020 and 14th on Great House in 2021, the year of last Kiwi winner Verry Elleegant. He had the misfortune of late scratchings in the past two cups, but told Hawke’s Bay Today: “It is what it is.”

This time it’s an almost hand-picked option for Dee. He said he approached trainer Graeme Rogerson at Moonee Valley on the night of October 24, saying if they were looking for a rider for the Cup he was available. Soon afterwards Sharp ‘N’ Smart ran third in the Moonee Valley Cup, and it was a deal.

A winner of six races and stakes of about $3 million, Sharp ‘N’ Smart hasn’t won since its April 2023 New Zealand Derby triumph over 2400m, but has targeted a Melbourne Cup start ever since.

Dee, who started with Hawkes Bay trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen before taking up an apprenticeship with Whanganui trainer Kevin Myers and having his first win in January 2013, first went to Australia to ride in 2015, for three months on loan.

He ended up completing his apprenticeship at Caulfield and has since become one of Australia’s most-sought jockeys, with his biggest wins in the 2021 Australian Guineas and in 2022, just weeks apart, the Caulfield Cup and the Victoria Derby.

Dee has some affinity with Flemington, including four wins on one day in May this year, and rides in three races before the Cup. But without a ride immediately before the Cup, he has 1hr 40min in the jockeys’ room to ponder his chances.

Dee won’t be changing if he wins the Cup, at least not as far as allegiances go. He says he’s been asked many times if he’ll seek Australian residency at some time, but the hot tip on that one is: “No.”

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 51 years of journalism experience, 40 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.