Imported stayer Midsummer Sun has been included in the 2014 Gosford Gold Cup final field and trainer Sam Kavanagh expects his star galloper to be tough to beat in the Listed event on Friday.
Midsummer Sun is chasing the first win of his preparation in the Gosford Gold Cup on Friday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Midsummer Sun has performed well without winning since beginning his summer campaign in October; finishing an impressive second behind Salon Soldier in the Listed Victoria Plate (1800m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, fourth in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield and third in the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day.
Kavanagh has been happy with the form of Midsummer Sun this campaign and told Racing Ahead this morning that he has made a concerted effort to keep the son of Monsun fresh throughout his preparation.
“After chatting with a couple of people that are involved with the horse, we just sort of thought that we will try and keep him a bit fresher,” Kavanagh said.
“It has always been that his first and second runs are great but he sort of tapers off as he gets into the prep.
“We gave him six weeks between runs and he had a couple of little issues and I was probably just a little light on him.
“He loomed up the other day (in the Summer Cup) and just blew out but his work since has been outstanding and he will be at his best on Friday.”
Midsummer Sun will jump from barrier eight in the Gosford Gold Cup on Friday but Kavanagh is confident that Glyn Schofield, who was suspended for five weeks by Racing New South Wales stewards yesterday, will get the imported galloper into a good position in the nine horse field.
“Glyn Schofield will take the ride and he knows the horse now.
“He was a bit tardy away a couple of times in Melbourne and we had to give him a kick out of the gates.
“If he can sit up in the first four or five and be slightly better than midfield I will be rapt.
“Gosford is a pretty tight track and it has a short straight but he has been to a few quirky tracks, he ran well at Goodwood and Chester and places like that in England, so I can’t see why he wouldn’t handle.
“As long as there is a genuine tempo and he can settle he should be pretty tough to beat.”
Midsummer Sun will face a strong field in the 2014 Gosford Gold Cup, which includes Gai Waterhouse-trained Western Symbol, imported stayers Brigantin and I’m Imposing as well as as Darley gelding Solemn.
