Super Cool will return to Flemington for the first time this preparation in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.

Super Cool will return to Flemington for the first time since his narrow Australian Cup victory in the Turnbull Stakes on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Super Cool made his debut at the home of the Victoria Racing Club with an unremarkable fourth behind Pronto Pronto in the Listed Yellowglen Vintage Stakes (1410m) but since then has gone from strength to strength at the famous track.

The Fastnet Rock gelding finished second behind Fiveandahalfstar in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (25000m) last November and returned to Flemington to record his maiden Group 1 win in the Australian Cup (2000m) during the 2013 Melbourne Festival Of Racing.

Trainer Mark Kavanagh is expecting Super Cool to relish his return to his home track but believes the four-year-old may require one more run before he reaches peak fitness this preparation.

“He likes this track,” Kavanagh told Throughmedia.

“He won the Australian Cup over 2000 metres at Flemington third-up.

“He did have residual fitness from the spring that year; he has come off a long spell and he may just need another run to top him off.”

The four-year-old has performed well since returning from a lengthy spell but is still searching for his first victory this preparation.

He started his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a fast-finishing third behind Atlantic Jewel and Ferlax in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31 before finishing within half a length of Fiorente, after finding trouble in the early stages of the race, in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m).

Kavanagh has been happy with both of Super Cool’s performances this spring and expects him to run well on Saturday, although he admitted that the Turnbull Stakes was not the major target for the Australian Cup winner.

“He is going well,” Kavanagh said.

“He ran into a bit of trouble last start and still finished it off strongly.

“He has a very good record at Flemington and he is a horse on the way up.”

Kavanagh is yet to confirm where Super Cool will head after the Turnbull Stakes; with the Group 1 Caulfield Cup on October 19 and the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) a week later both on the agenda.

The leading trainer is chasing his third victory in the Turnbull Stakes after previously winning the race with Devil Moon (2007) and December Draw (2011).