ATLANTIC Jewel will drop back to race against her own sex on Saturday at Moonee Valley in the Stock Stakes as she aims to extend her unbeaten winning streak to nine.
Mark Kavanagh said he made the decision to run in the Stock Stakes in preference to the Dato Tan Chin Nam on the same program with the welfare of the mare in mind.
“My logic in running against the mares is that it is a Group 2 race, it’s weight-for-age and it is against mares only,” Kavanagh said.
“In the back of my mind after spending so much work nursing a horse back from a spell and an injury that had not raced in 70 weeks there is always the possibility and I know it may be a little old fashioned, but there’s these things call second up syndromes.
“If there was ever going to be a second up syndrome you would think it would be after 70 weeks.
“With that in mind we go towards a mare’s race where she is rated 19 or 20 above any other horse.”
The Dato Tan Chin Nam is also a Group 2 race with an additional $80,000 in prizemoney.
Kavanagh said Super Cool, an eye-catching third behind Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on August 31, would run in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
He said the Australian Cup winner had progressed well after his first-up run, but added the horse still was not at his top.
“He’s still a run or two off, but he’s progressed nicely. I’m very happy with him,” Kavanagh said.
Kavanagh said the Caulfield Cup is the spring target for Super Cool.
“He looks more suited to a Caulfield Cup at this stage,” Kavanagh saidf.
– TVN
