They are the only horse to defeat Saturday’s Victoria Derby 2012 favourite It’s A Dundeel to date but can the Mark Kavanagh-trained Super Cool get the better of the Kiwi again in the $1.5 million Melbourne Cup Carnival classic?

Last Saturday the Fastent Rock gelding scored an upset win over the odds-on pick It’s A Dundeel when beating them home one and three quarter lengths in the Group 2 Mitchelton Wines Vase (2040m) on Cox Plate Day.

Despite the result It’s A Dundeel has been installed as the favourite for the $1.5 million Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) this weekend at bookmaker.com.au paying $2.80 while Super Cool is battling for second favouritism as one of three $7 fancies in the markets.

While they are not bred to stay and there is an extra 500m to get over in the Derby than the Vase, Super Cool was ultra-impressive and if they handle the distance and the short back-up they could take some beating again here.

“As for Super Cool, it is all about whether he can stay the trip,” jockey Michel Rodd, out to score his 10^th Group 1 win for trainer Kavanagh in the Derby on Saturday, said.

“He showed he has the turn of speed and the class at Moonee Valley and he felt great in his work this morning. He’s a horse that keeps on improving and that’s what you want at this time of year.”

But have they improved enough for their grand final?

#4 Super Cool – Horse Form

• Jockey: Michael Rodd
• Trainer: Mark Kavanagh
• Owners: Rokk Ebony, Calabria, Wind Flyer Racing, Rokk Ebony No 2, Mr A E Fargas, Mr B C D Holt
• Age: 3YO
• Gender: Gelding
• Breeding: by Fastnet Rock (AUS) out of Kingmambo (USA) mare Queen Mother (USA)
• Career: 5-2-1-0
• Win: 40%
• Place: 60%
• Last 6: 6×1421
• Prize Money: $177,550
• Track: 1-0-0-0
• Distance: 0-0-0-0
• Current 2012 Victoria Derby Odds: $7

Evidence FOR Super Cool Winning the 2012 Victoria Derby

• Is one of the early market movers so the money trail is on them
• Drawn in barrier 11 with double-digits having been no worry for Derby winners throughout history
• Beat Derby favourite #1 It’s A Dundeel ($2.80) in awesome style last start in the Vase showing a nice turn of foot
• It’s A Dundeel couldn’t get within 1 ¾ lengths of them last Saturday, even with the extra distance Super Cool could be hard to rundown again here
• Kavanagh says they have come on well since their last start
• Is one of the few to have raced at Flemington before when a close fourth to Pronto Pronto in the Listed Vintage Stakes (1410m) on October 6
• While not bred to stay has worked hard to relax in the running and finish off strongly
• Jockey Michael Rodd, a former Victoria Derby winning hoop, rides them for the fifth time on the trot
• One of only three last-start winners in the field
• Looking to become the sixth horse in the past 27 years to complete the Vase – Derby double
• The MV Vase has produced more Victoria Derby winners since 1986 than any other race, including 14 in the past 26 years
• Boasts the third best Win Rate of the field (40%)

Evidence AGAINST Super Cool Scoring the Victoria Derby 2012 Win

• While they are nicely bred their pedigree is not that of a stayer and they need to step up from 2040m to 2500m here
• Did the Vase win tighten them up or take too much out of them?
• On a short 7 day back-up – need to handle that and the step up in distance

Think Super Cool can defy their breeding and last the distance to take out this year’s Victoria Derby?

Lock them in at the best prices in the country online at bookmaker.com.au with their exclusive Pick Your Own Victoria Derby odds!