Trainer Mark Kavanagh is expecting Super Cool to emerge from the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington tomorrow as the standout horse of the Spring Racing Carnival.
Super Cool ready to step up in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Kavanagh regards the Turnbull Stales as the defining race for the Spring with the horses that perform well going on to win either the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m), the Group 1 $2.65m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) or the Group 1 $6.2m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Super Cool returns to the scene of his greatest triumph when he beat Victoria Derby winner Fiveandahalfstar in the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) in the Autumn and Kavanagh feels that the four year old is ready to stand up and be counted in a star studded field.
“This is a real race, there is no doubt about it,” Kavanagh told the Sportsman.
“They are certainly all there.”
“You could give excuses along the way of slow pace, this that or the other, but at the end of the day they have to start doing something by the Turnbull Stakes otherwise you’re not going to measure up.”
The Turnbull Stakes sees a great line up with plenty of Spring heavyweight contenders looking to take the defining step in their quest for bigger prizes and includestop Melbourne Cup fancies Puissance De Lune and Fiorente, Chris Waller’s two Caulfield Cup hopefuls Royal Descent and Hawkspur, outstanding mares Dear Demi and Quintessential and import Jet Away from the David Hayes stables.
Super Cool has had two runs back from a winter spell and Kavanagh has been happy with both of his runs.
The Fastnet Rock four year old made up plenty of ground when third to glamour stable mate Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 $350,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.
And Kavanagh was full of praise for his run in the Group 2 $300,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 14 when he did have plenty of genuine excuses before finishing fourth to Fiorente.
“I thought it was a very good run, he only got beaten half a length and was galloped on and stopped dead at one stage,” Kavanagh said.
“It’s a situation where he made up ground again and he wasn’t done with on the line.””
“He is a reliable horse, he’s been placed eight of his eleven starts and won $1.2 million, it speaks for itself.”
Super Cool is a $7.50 chance in Turnbull Stakes betting with the Gai Waterhouse trained Fiorente holding down the top spot at $4.50 just in front of Puissance De Lune at $4.50 and Royal Descent at $6.50.
Flemington specialist Fawkner is marked at $10 with Hawkspur at $11 while Jet Away is a $34 chance to win the Turnbull Stakes first up.
