Double Cool ready to shine in Spirit Of Boom Classic

By Glenn Davis

Talented filly Double Cool is still a maiden, but she’s ticking all the boxes ahead of her assignment in the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben on Saturday.

The father-and-son training partnership of Chris and Corey Munce is aware of the task ahead for the daughter of Cool Aza Beel who has started four times for three seconds.

Double Cool was a short-priced favourite last start when she finished second in a 1000 metre QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Handicap at the Sunshine Coast.

It was her first start since going down by less than two lengths when fourth to the Ciaron Maher-trained Unit Five in the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast in January.

'Team Munce' won last year’s Spirit Of Boom Classic with Cool Archie, who went on to win the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes and Group 1 J.J. Atkins at Eagle Farm last winter. 

“It will be great if we can go back-to-back in the Spirit Of Boom,” co-trainer Corey Munce said. 

“She had one barrier trial before she ran second at her first start on Boxing Day behind Liam Birchley’s Vanzadee who went over the New Zealand and ran in the Karaka Millions.

“Then she had a good gate and ran a great race to finish fourth in the Magic Millions Classic and her run didn’t surprise us at all.

”In her last run, we thought she would be hard to beat at the Sunshine Coast, but she got back and was first-up on a wet track."

While Double Cool faces another massive step up in class in the Spirit Of Boom Classic, Corey Munce believes she’ll put up a great fight.

“It’s not the strongest Spirit Of Boom we’ve seen and we think she’s got a good chance,” Corey Munce said.

The Spirit Of Boom was formerly known as the Champagne Classic and has been a reliable guide for both the Sires’ Produce and J.J. Atkins.

The race has produced five Sires’ Produce winners since it was first run in 1982 and six winners in the J.J. Atkins.

However, Corey Munce is reluctant to confirm whether Double Cool will target the Sires’ Produce or the J.J. Atkins.

“James McDonald rode her in the Gold Pearl at the Gold Coast in January and he thought she’d get 1400 metres and Martin Harley has confirmed that too, but we’ll just wait and see how she goes,” Corey Munce said.

Cool Archie, who also was sired by Cool Aza Beel, was bred and sold by Newhaven at Magic Millions for $100,000 and raced in the colours of Max Whitby.

Whitby is also a co-owner of Double Cool along with Werrett Bloodstock and Madden Bloodstock. They paid $50,000 for her at the Magic Millions sales.