Flemington Review: Dee Is Delighting Punters

Every so often a jockey announces themselves as a star from left field and that’s exactly what Michael Dee has done in the past year.

The former Kiwi-based jockey had always shown talent but he took his game to the top level.
He showed he could more than match it with the best in the land.

Dee rode the winner of six Group 1 races last season and finished second in the Group 1 Premiership behind James McDonald on 11 winners.

One of those wins was in the 2022 Caulfield Cup on Durston which some media pundits voted as the best ride for the 2022-23 season.

He also won the 2022 Victoria Derby on Manzoice, the Blue Diamond Stakes on Little Brose and the Australian Guineas on Legarto.

Dee also had a six weeks stint in Hong Kong where he rode four winners late in the season.

Dee is determined not to be a one-season wonder and his rides to win in Melbourne over the past two Saturdays indicate that’s not going to happen.

He rode The Summit to score at The Valley and then last Saturday at Flemington he won the feature race the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap on It’sourtime.

Dee is very excited about partnering with Kiwi star Legarto over the spring carnival and is hoping to add the Cox Plate to his feature race haul on her.

Dee will be a jockey to stick with over spring again.