Mark Kavanagh admits Melbourne Cup always part of Super Cool's program

IN the end Mark Kavanagh couldn’t find a reason not to run Super Cool in the Melbourne Cup, admitting the race Tuesday week had always been in his plans.

Mark Kavanagh keeps an eye on Super Cool's progress. Picture: Jay Town

IN the end Mark Kavanagh couldn’t find a reason not to run Super Cool in the Melbourne Cup.

“His run on Saturday (fifth in the Cox Plate) from an outside barrier was extremely good. There was no reason not to run him after that effort,” Kavanagh said yesterday.

“Fiorente, who finished second in the Cox Plate, is the Melbourne Cup favourite. We had a bad barrier and finished fifth.”

Kavanagh said the Melbourne Cup had always been in his plans for Super Cool.

“It was just how we got there — which path we took — but it was always high on my agenda,” he said.

Kavanagh said Super Cool’s form going into the Melbourne Cup was superior to that of his 2009 winner Shocking, also a four-year-old.

“Shocking would never run fifth in a Cox Plate. He had to win the Lexus to get in,” Kavanagh said.

He pointed out he also had history on his side with Super Cool winning this year’s Australian Cup as a three-year-old.

“In the past 34 years the two three-year-olds who have won the Australian Cup and run in the Melbourne Cup are Saintly, who won, and Dulcify, who was going to win before he was galloped on,” Kavanagh said.

Singapore-based Corey Brown will keep the ride from the Cox Plate.

Kavanagh said he didn’t use Brown much but they had a great record in Group 1 races, having won three together.

“It’s going to be interesting,’’ Kavanagh said.

“I don’t think a Fastnet Rock (offspring) has ever run over 3200m.”

Super Cool is a $51 chance for the Cup.