Trainer Mark Kavanagh is wary of the ‘second up syndrome’ in selecting the Group 2 $220,000 W H Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday as Atlantic Jewel’s next race start.
Atlantic Jewel will run in the Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Kavanagh considers the Stock Stakes against the mare an easier option than the Group 2 $300,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) which is littered with Group 1 winners, including stablemate Super Cool.
“My logic in running against the mares is that it is a Group 2 race, it’s weight-for-age and it is against mares only,” Kavanagh told Racing Network.
“In the back of my mind after spending so much work nursing a horse back from a spell and an injury that had not raced in 70 weeks there is always the possibility and I know it may be a little old fashioned, but there’s these things call second up syndromes.
“If there was ever going to be a second up syndrome you would think it would be after 70 weeks.
“With that in mind we go towards a mare’s race where she is rated 19 or 20 above any other horse.”
Atlantic Jewel, rated 117, looks to have a mortgage on the W H Stocks Stakes with last year’s Stocks Stakes winner Oasis Bloom with a rating of 98 and Mick Price trained Fibrillation on a rating of 97 the closet in the ranking.
the Mick Price trained Fibrillation the closest rated mare on 97.
At her latest effort Fibrillation ran second to Bec Said No Credit (rated 88) in a $80,000 Mares Handicap at Caulfield on August 31.
Atlantic Jewel made a stunning return to the racetrack after sixteen months on the sideline through injury when she treated the field with contempt in scoring a two and a half lengths win in the Group 1 $350,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.
The Stocks Stakes against the mares will provide Atlantic Jewel with an easier second up run and give the new Queen Of The Turf a better opportunity to keep her unbeaten record intact and make it nine from nine.
And by taking that course, Kavanagh will be able to keep his two stable stars separated and run Australian Cup winner Super Cool in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
Super Cool was having his first run back since winning the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 9 when third to Atlantic Jewel in the Memsie Stakes and Kavanagh was very happy with the run.
“He’s still a run or two off, but he’s progressed nicely. I’m very happy with him,” Kavanagh said.
“He looks more suited to a Caulfield Cup at this stage.”
Kavanagh is aiming Atlantic Jewel towards the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 and she currently heads the market order at $2.50.
While Super Cool is joint favourite with the Chris Waller trained Hawkspur for the Group 1 $2.65m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19.
