Super Cool’s race fitness and good turn of foot is what jockey Michael Rodd believes will go along way towards the three old year beating the older horses in the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington tomorrow.
Super Cool beats Fiveandahalfstar in the Autumn Classic at Caulfield. Photo by Bruno Cannatelli.
Super Cool is going into the $1 million weight for age contest with two runs under his belt including a last start win over rival three year old Fiveandahalfstar in the Group 2 $220,000 BMW Caulfield Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on February 23.
Rodd feels he might have the edge over Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon who has only stepped out once this Autumn when a solid fourth to All Too Hard in the Group 1 $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 23.
Green Moon is the early favourite at $4 in an open Australian Cup with Super Cool at $4.40 ahead of Western Australian Mr Moet at $5.50 and Fiveandahalfstar at $8.
“It’s a very open race, obviously Green Moon is the class horse there and getting up to the 2000m will suit him,” Rodd said.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him but he is second-up and my bloke is third-up at the peak of his fitness.”
“And he’s definitely improved even more after his win last start.”
Super Cool proved too strong for Fiveandahalfstar in the Autumn Classic when he was able to reverse the placings after finishing second to the Anthony Cummings trained gelding in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington last November.
The Mark Kavanagh trained Super Cool can become the first three year old since Saintly in 1996 to win the Australian Cup and Rodd believes with he has a great chance of achieving it.
“He needed the hit out and I’m going off the fact he’s improved and that’s where I’m getting my confidence from,” Rodd said.
“Fiveandahalfstar just keeps whacking away whereas my bloke has a turn of foot and we were going to be too good for him.”
With Glass Harmonium certain to take up his familiar front running role as well as Fiveandahalfstar’s ability to race on the pace, Rodd should be guaranteed a solid tempo and be able to slot Super Cool in behind within striking distance.
“I think he is a better chaser than anything, he’s got the good turn of foot when you hold him up,” Rodd said.
“But if it turns out there is no speed and he has to take a spot it doesn’t worry me because he can roll forward and tough it out.”
Cummings is also banking on Glass Harmonium taking up the pacemaker role saying that his three year old is ready to stalk the big grey.
“He’s in good shape, hard and fit and in the right spot,” Cummings said.
“Ideally we can follow Glass Harmonium, he makes the race for us,”
