Danny O’Brien was confident Superstorm would run well in the Feehan Stakes, but it required a Damien Oliver special.
Success in Saturday’s Group 2 race over 1600m provided the winner with a ballot exemption into The Valley’s weight-for-age showpiece, the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) on October 23.
With Damien Oliver sneaking up on the rail, Superstorm ($6) prevailed in a stirring finish by a nose from the $5.50 favourite Elephant with The Chosen One ($10) a long-neck away third.
Trainer Danny O’Brien said he would speak with leading West Australian owner Bob Peters on what he thought was the ideal path for Superstorm to the Cox Plate.
O’Brien said the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on September 25 was the likely option but has already conceded races will only get tougher leading into the 2021 Cox Plate.
“I’ll speak to Bob Peters and he’ll decide where the horse will be best placed,” O’Brien said.
“We really wanted to see how he went in the early part of the spring, but I suspect the Underwood will be the next run in three weeks up to the 1800 metres.
“And a big track like Sandown will suit too.
“But it is only going to get harder. There’s a lot of really nice horses going around in Sydney today, so we’re pleased to get on the board today and looking forward to the rest of the spring with him.”
Superstorm had his first run for O’Brien finishing fourth in the P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 14 and thought the 1600m on Saturday was ideal.
O’Brien did however have concerns with barrier five and where Superstorm would get to in the run.
“He hasn’t got much gate speed albeit he took a more prominent position today, but you definitely would have preferred to be three-wide peeling and getting momentum,” O’Brien said.
“Particularly on a horse like Superstorm who builds so much through his finish.
“They had nowhere to go and as they straightened, he’s gone back to the fence which hasn’t been the place all day, but he’s still been able to lift him and get him over the line.
“We were confident the horse would run well but it always looked like it would be complicated and we needed a D Oliver special.”
