The booking of Damien Oliver shows Adelaide trainer Richard Jolly will mean business when he brings Cool Hero to Moonee Valley.
Oliver will ride in Melbourne for the first time since early June when he hits the track at Moonee Valley on Saturday to fulfil a book that also includes three Chris Waller-trained runners.
Jolly considered booking an apprentice to take weight off the Kaphero filly’s back but was thrilled to engage the nine-time Melbourne jockeys’ premiership winner for the rising three-year-old.
Jolly is not anticipating Oliver to have any trouble steering Cool Hero during her bid to remain unbeaten.
Cool Hero won a barrier trial a Morphettville on June 20 before returning to that venue to post an easy maiden win on July 16.
Jolly said Cool Hero’s professionalism impressed him at her first start but the filly was likely to produce an improved performance with the benefit of experience.
“She’s just a real jump-and-run type that does everything right, goes straight and nice little filly,” Jolly said.
“She’s just getting better and better because she’d only had the one trial leading into that run.”
Jolly paid a mere $15,000 for Cool Hero at a yearling sale last year but the sprinter has a chance to earn $50,000 in VOBIS and VOBIS Gold bonuses in addition to the $48,000 winner’s cheque, which enticed Jolly to plot a Melbourne trip.
Jolly enjoyed success with a similar raid last year when Silversands defeated a field that included Blue Diamond placegetter Cornrow and subsequent stakes winner Boomwaa in the $250,000 Inglis Banner on Cox Plate day.
Silversands struggled in her only autumn run, which prompted Jolly to scrap plans to prepare her for the Blue Diamond Stakes, but the two-year-old won a barrier trial at Morphettville Parks on July 18.
