Magicool is poised to have his third try at winning a Derby after pressing claims for a Queensland trip with victory over older horses at Flemington.
The Mark Kavanagh-trained gelding was dropping back to 2000m after his last-start fourth in the South Australian Derby (2500m) and he wore down odds-on favourite Kenjorwood in Saturday’s Banjo Paterson Series Heat 1.
Magicool has finished fifth in the Victoria Derby and fourth in the SA Derby and is nominated for the Group One Queensland Derby in two weeks.
“He’s in it, and was nominated for the Grand Prix this week (at Doomben) but we couldn’t get a suitable plane,” Kavanagh said.
“I’ll have to discuss it with the owners and see what happens from there.”
The Queensland Derby is run over a shorter than usual journey this year at Doomben with Eagle Farm undergoing a renovation.
“He was in front in two Derbys 400 metres out so it is tempting to go back to 2200 metres around Doomben,” Kavanagh said.
Magicool ($9) sat just off $1.75 favourite Kenjorwood before issuing a challenge in the straight.
He had a neck advantage over Kenjorwood with three-quarters of a length to Tooleybuc Kid ($12) in third.
