One Derby dream edged toward reality and another started looking a little sick thanks to the win of Super Cool in the Group Two Mitchelton Vase at Moonee Valley.
Super Cool ($9) benefited from a clever Michael Rodd ride to take the traditional lead-up to next Saturday’s Victoria Derby by 1-3/4 lengths from the $1.30 favourite It’s A Dundeel.
Super Cool winning the Mitchelton Wines Vase at Moonee Valley - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
While the performance of the runner-up suggested he would improve on a bigger track, concerns were raised after the race when vets reported the colt’s recovery rate was slower than normal.
It’s A Dundeel’s trainer Murray Baker took the defeat philosophically, predicting improvement by next weekend.
“He just raced a little dour,” Baker said.
“He should improve, we’ve been a bit easy on him.”
Jockey James McDonald agreed, blaming the lack of pace for the defeat.
“They didn’t go that hard, the run was full of merit,” McDonald said.
“He’s a big track horse.
“He was almost beaten at Canterbury, almost beaten at Wyong and he’s won really well on two big tracks.
“If any track was going to bring him undone it was going to be Moonee Valley.”
For Super Cool, who was having only his fifth start, the win proved trainer Mark Kavanagh correct.
Kavanagh said a Derby preparation had begun after the gelding’s first start last May.
“The Derby was on the cards from the start, but when he won first-up at Seymour I knew he was the right horse,” Kavanagh said.
The win also gave Kavanagh a welcome change of luck.
Before Super Cool saluted he had trained only one city winner this season at an alarming strike rate of three per cent.
Bookmakers, however, reacted with less sentiment to the failure of the favourite turning him out from $1.90 to $2.75 for the Derby and slashing the winner’s price from $26 to $6.50.
