Trainer Mark Kavanagh has his sights set on another Cox Plate success with Super Cool after the three year old took out the Group 2 $220,000 BMW Caulfield Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield today.
Kavanagh took out the 2008 Cox Plate with Maldivian and thinks Super Cool has the potential to take his place in the weight for age championship race of Australasia in the Spring.
“Fiveandahalfstar is a terrific horse, but he’s a genuine stayer and if the pace was right on and made it into a true staying contest our horse might not have got him,” Kavanagh said.
“Our horse has got a little bit better turn of foot and he showed that today.”
Super Cool showed a superior turn of foot for Michael Rodd and was able to run down favourite Fiveandahalfstar after Glen Boss had set up a leisurely pace out in front.
Rodd started to rev Super Cool up on the home turn and had enough momentum to overrun Fiveandahalfstar over the final fifty metres.
Kavanagh will give Super Cool two more Autumn runs before turning him out for a spell prior to preparing the Fastnet Rock gelding for the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
“He’ll have one or two more runs and he’ll be set aside for the Spring,” Kavanagh said.
“He’s just having a little preparation to set him up for the Spring.”
“Four runs and that will be enough. Then he gets a really good rest. He will get March, all of April and all of May off and start the first of June.”
Kavanagh noted that Super Cool is undefeated over the 2040m, the distance of the Cox Plate and will head that way with the three year old.
Fiveandahalfstar found Super Cool too nippy over the 1800m but will win a good race over a longer journey during the carnival.