Trainer Mark Kavanagh is yet to make a decision on what path classy four-year-old Super Cool will take during the 2013 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival but jockey Michael Rodd believes that the Australian Cup winner is an ideal Cox Plate horse.
Jockey Michael Rodd believes Super Cool is the ideal horse for the Cox Plate. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Super Cool is nominated for both the Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Cox Plate (2040m) with Kavanagh telling Radio Sports National this morning that he is open to the son of Fastnet Rock competing in both races.
Rodd has ridden Super Cool in all but one of his career starts and is confident that the Cox Plate is the perfect race for the Group 1 winner.
“Personally I think he is a real Cox Plate sort of horse,” Rodd said on RSN.
“I think that he is a real weight-for-age horse, his racing pattern suits that racing and he doesn’t have to be up on the speed.
“Obviously he will be taken one race at a time like Kav does with all the horses.
“Nothing will be ruled out he is nominated for everything.”
Kavanagh has indicated that Super Cool is still a while away from a return to the races, with the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 21 a likely kick-off point, but his preparation is set to be ramped up next Friday morning when he contests a jump-out with blinkers on.
Rodd said that the entire generally doesn’t perform at his best in trackwork and is excited to see how much he improves with blinkers on in a competitive environment.
“He is a bludger, he just doesn’t do too much around the stable and he won’t do too much in his work,” Rodd said.
“You have to put the blinkers on him to fire him up and we haven’t done that yet.
“He will jump out next Friday with his blinkers and we will have to shake him up a bit because you are not getting much fitness into him unless he has those blinkers on.”
Rodd may have to make a tough decision in the lead-up to the Cox Plate with a clash between his regular rides Super Cool and Atlantic Jewel possible in the $3 million race.
