Trainer Sam Kavanagh has revealed that Midsummer Sun will make only a cameo appearance during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnivaland will be saved for a summer campaign.
Midsummer Sun will not be aimed at any of the major staying races during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Midsummer Sun finished second behind the ill-fated Salon Soldier in the Listed Visit Victoria Plate (1800m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day last year and Kavanagh told Racing Ahead yesterday that the Monsun gelding would be set for a second-up tilt at the $150,000 race during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival before contesting the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick and defending his title in the Listed Gosford Cup (2100m).
“He will be similar to last year,” Kavanagh said.
“He came second in the 1800 on Melbourne Cup Day and he will be aimed for that second-up.
“That is his best form, second-up and then we will look at races through the summer like the Summer Cup and Gosford Cup.
“We are just trying to get the owners some prizemoney, we are not aiming at the top level, but he is a good handy horse that gives the owners a good run for their money.
“We will just keep placing him where he can win.
Midsummer Sun was prepared by legendary trainer Sir Henry Cecil in the United Kingdom before he was acquired by Kavanagh at the end of 2012 and he made his Australian racing debut with a win in the Toll Express Handicap (1600m) at Morphettville on April 27 last year.
After winning the Peter Street Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield on May 11, Midsummer Sun was thrown into the deep end at Group level during the 2013 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, but he failed to fire in both the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2200m) and Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).
Midsummer Sun was sent for a stint in the spelling paddock before returning to the races with a credible performance in the City Tattersalls Club Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on October 19 and returned to his best form in the Visit Victoria Plate.
He returned to Group level with an impressive fourth behind Sertorius in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield on November 16 and after finishing fifth in the Summer Cup, scored his maiden black type win in the Gosford Cup.
Midsummer Sun had a brief freshen up after finishing fourth in the Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) and returned with a disappointing seventh in the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m) on March 9 before finishing his campaign with a second place finish behind Entirely Platinum in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.
