TRAINER Mark Kavanagh prides himself on knowing his horses inside out, but even he learnt something about the Caulfield Cup hot favourite December Draw yesterday, reports The Age. It says: The imported gelding has stamped himself as a quality racehorse in his relatively short time in Australia with four wins from five starts, but he is also a wilful individual, so it was with a touch of trepidation that Kavanagh paraded December Draw in front of the media at his Flemington stables. ''He likes to
TRAINER Mark Kavanagh prides himself on knowing his horses inside out, but even he learnt something about the Caulfield Cup hot favourite December Draw yesterday, reports The Age.
It says: The imported gelding has stamped himself as a quality racehorse in his relatively short time in Australia with four wins from five starts, but he is also a wilful individual, so it was with a touch of trepidation that Kavanagh paraded December Draw in front of the media at his Flemington stables. ''He likes to do things his own way, he can get a bit cranky,'' the trained warned.
But far from being surly in the face of a wall of cameras, reporters and officials, December Draw treated the occasion as more of a screen test. He strode boldly but calmly on cue before offering photographers that classic stance of head forward, ears pricked, eyes alert. Then, he sensed, it was time to ham it up. He leaned his head into Kavanagh's chest, took the trainer's coat zipper in his teeth and pulled it down. He lapped up the laughter before puffing out his narrow chest and, with little urging from his handler, strode off majestically.
''He surprised me how he was, but it is his fourth run in [this campaign on Sunday] and he's settled right down,'' Kavanagh said.
One of the leading trainer's chief rules is to stick to a routine when it works. But all the same, he figured the unexpected calm shown by December Draw was reassuring three days out from the horse's toughest test in the group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. But he suspects yesterday's transformation from malcontent to simply content, will not continue to raceday, where the horse is rather demanding.
He refuses to be saddled up, as are all other horses, with his head facing out of his stall. For whatever reason, December Draw likes to face the wall when being saddled. (www.theage.com.au).