Michael Rodd will rely on two pick-up rides to achieve Group One success during the two-day Cox Plate carnival.

Rodd's Cox Plate chances were dealt a blow on Tuesday morning with the scratching from Saturday's Cox Plate of short-priced favourite Atlantic Jewel with a career-threatening tendon injury.

He picked up the ride on the Lloyd Williams-owned Masked Marvel later on Tuesday after Nick Hall lost an appeal against a suspension while in the $1 million Manikato Stakes (1200m) Rodd is chasing victory on Bel Sprinter at his first ride on the gelding.

Rodd picked up the Bel Sprinter ride for Friday night's Manikato (1200m) after Damien Oliver was suspended last week.

The jockey put Bel Sprinter through his paces for the first time at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning and was suitably impressed.

"He was great. It was the first time I've galloped him but I know a fair bit about him," Rodd said.

"He's got a few little tricks but he ripped around unbelievably well this morning.

"He's come through his Moir run nicely."

A notorious slow starter, Bel Sprinter was again last out of the gates in the Moir Stakes and trainer Jason Warren also said the gelding wasn't suited by a deteriorating track as he struggled into seventh behind dominant winner Samaready.

Samaready is a clear-cut favourite to make it back-to-back Group Ones in the Manikato while Hong Kong star Lucky Nine holds the second line of betting.

Lucky Nine beat Bel Sprinter in the Singapore KrisFlyer Sprint at Kranji in May at his most recent start.

Bel Sprinter wore a barrier blanket in the Moir Stakes but Warren said that idea had been ditched.

"It didn't help last time," Warren said.

"He began well at the Cranbourne trials last week without it. Hopefully we got our confidence up at the barriers again and we can go back to the races."

Forecast rain in Melbourne is no help to Bel Sprinter and Warren is hoping for a firmer track than last time while Rodd hopes the speed is on to suit the fast-finishing six-year-old.

"He's a Group One sprinter and he gave me that feel the way he worked this morning," Rodd said.

"Hopefully the pace will be on, I can get him out of the gates and if those two factors can fall into place he'll be steaming home over the top of them."