A Summer Cup victory by Midsummer Sun would be a timely boost for trainer Sam Kavanagh as his stable enters one of its busiest times of the year.
The young Sydney trainer plans to have a plethora of runners during the holiday period to take advantage of the jam-packed racing calendar.
His roll-out began with two runners at Warwick Farm on Christmas Eve and he will have a team of up to three at the Boxing Day meeting at Randwick.
“I’ve got 14 runners in over the next week which is close to half my stable,” Kavanagh said.
“I wanted to kick off a lot of our younger horses and horses who aren’t quite carnival class.
“We’ve got a lot of Magic Millions horses as well who I’m hoping to qualify for the Gold Coast. We’re hoping to get two or three up there.”
Headlining the Kavanagh team is stable stalwart Midsummer Sun who will be striving to improve on his fifth in the corresponding race last year.
He was placed in the ATC Cup two starts ago before a sound midfield effort over a mile in the Villiers Stakes.
He steps back up to 2000m at Randwick and despite Kavanagh’s healthy respect for the Chris Waller-trained runners, which include favourite I’m Imposing and Multilateral, he is convinced his horse is poised to perform.
“Obviously the Waller pair will be very hard to beat and we are dictated to a bit by the speed in the race but my horse is in great order,” Kavanagh said.
“His last furlong in the Villiers was excellent and 2000 metres and Randwick will suit him.”
Kavanagh will also run three-year-old and last-start Newcastle placegetter Tatone in Friday’s James Boag’s Premium Handicap but he is in two minds about plans for Spinning Diamond.
The mare has been accepted for the Sportsyear Handicap (1400m) on Boxing Day and a 1550m assignment at Canterbury on Saturday.
A city winner in October, Spinning Diamond was a last-start third to Saintly Lad at Rosehill on December 12.
“She was scratched a couple of times and she was probably a run short last time,” Kavanagh said.
“She’s at the top of her game and she will be hard to beat whenever she does run.”
