Having produced Super Cool to win the Australian Cup on Saturday, trainer Mark Kavanagh will set another of his outstanding three-year-olds on the road to the country’s most coveted blue riband when Sheer Talent runs at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Kavanagh said that despite Super Cool having run second in the Victoria Derby in the spring, he would now be restricted to middle distances, leaving Sheer Talent to represent the stable in the Australian Derby.
Sheer Talent takes another step toward that goal in the Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at the Valley.
“Super Cool was my Derby horse in the spring but Sheer Talent is the one that’s suited to the Australian Derby,” Kavanagh said.
Sheer Talent ran the race of his career when he won the Group Three C S Hayes Stakes at Caulfield and then ran right up to that effort next start in the Australian Guineas when third to Ferlax after coming from the outside gate in the 15-horse field.
“His Guineas run was as good as his Caulfield win and he’ll be even better over more ground.”
Sheer Talent is one of 14 entries for the Alister Clark which has also attracted the Guineas fourth Hvasstan and the promising David Hayes-trained Gerontius.
The Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 13 is also the target for Fiveandahalfstar, the Victoria Derby winner and second to Super Cool in the Australian Cup.
