News

Maldivian springs back

4th Sep 2009

Herald Sun - Adam Hamilton - Friday, 4 September 2009

IT IS the first really big meeting of the spring - just ask trainer Mark Kavanagh.

The former jumps jockey boasts one of Australia's most enviable team of horses, with seven of them, headed by last year's Cox Plate winner Maldivian, on show at Flemington tomorrow.

"We've got really good depth in the stable and it's a good time to have it," he said yesterday.

"There's the defending Cox Plate champion (Maldivian) and last season's (Caulfield) Guineas winner (Whobegotyou), who is favourite for this year's Cox Plate. But the depth runs down to our younger horses. There are some really promising three-year-olds in the stable.

"This meeting is traditionally the opening of the spring and we'll know a lot more about where the stable's at after it."

At first glance, the 1200m of tomorrow's $200,000 Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes looks too short for Maldivian, but Kavanagh warned he would sprint very well fresh.

"His last run at weight-for-age over 1200m was a close second to Let Go Thommo (January 2008). He was also beaten a head at his first race start over 1100m by Spielmeister," he said.

Maldivian's six first-up runs have returned a win, two seconds and three thirds. The win was first-up in the Orr Stakes last campaign.

"He's thrown in at the weights," Kavanagh said.

Kavanagh also expects Grand Harmony to test hot favourite Black Caviar in the $250,000 Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m).

"We've always had a huge opinion of this horse," he said. "I'm happy to take Black Caviar on."

Another three-year-old whom Kavanagh singled out for special mention, Shamoline Warrior, is in the Henry Bucks Best Dressed Stakes (1400m).

"He's a fairly promising horse and the 1400m will suit him better than the 1100m last time," he said.

Kavanagh's other runners are Luce Del Mare (race one), Dr Doute's (race four), Cats Whisker (race five) and Champagne Harmony (race eight).