Maldivian might appear to be in the midst of a form slump but trainer Mark Kavanagh believes it is just the Zabeel factor kicking in and says he has the remedy.Now a six-year-old, Maldivian is by the champion New Zealand sire Zabeel who has earned a reputation for turning out slow maturers who need to be switched on late in life.To that end, former jumps jockey Kavanagh sent the horse over 12 obstacles this week and blinkers will go on for Saturday's Cox Plate which will be his seventh start thi

Maldivian might appear to be in the midst of a form slump but trainer Mark Kavanagh believes it is just the Zabeel factor kicking in and says he has the remedy.

Now a six-year-old, Maldivian is by the champion New Zealand sire Zabeel who has earned a reputation for turning out slow maturers who need to be switched on late in life.

To that end, former jumps jockey Kavanagh sent the horse over 12 obstacles this week and blinkers will go on for Saturday's Cox Plate which will be his seventh start this spring with his best performance so far a long neck second to Weekend Hussler in the Memsie Stakes.

"Zabeels are a funny breed," Kavanagh said.

"Schooling over jumps and the addition of blinkers is a proven formula.

"We always planned to have the blinkers on in the Cox Plate."

Despite the late maturity of some of Zabeel's progeny like 1998 Melbourne Cup winner Jezabeel who was a six-year-old, two of his Cox Plate winners Savabeel (2004) and Octagonal (1995) lay claim to being the last two three-year-olds to win the race.

Kavanagh said he was not too disappointed with Maldivian's ninth in last week's Caulfield Cup won by All The Good which followed his sixth in the Turnbull Stakes.

"I thought he ran okay, he just didn't run out the mile and a half (2400m)," he said.

"He's back to the 2040 and he likes the Moonee Valley track so hopefully we've got it right."

Kavanagh said he had no regrets about keeping Caulfield Guineas winner Whobegotyou to the AAMI Vase (2040m) against his fellow three-year-olds rather than the Cox Plate.

In fact, the trainer said it had never been a consideration on his part but more a push from the media.

"I'm comfortable with the decision," he said.

"I thought it would gut him as a young horse.

"It's something that has been pushed by the media and most of those guys wouldn't even know how to pat one."

Whobegotyou was at $1.45 for the Vase and at $2.25 for the Victoria Derby (2500m) on Saturday week.

Maldivian was a $12 chance on Friday afternoon for the Cox Plate with Princess Coup and Samantha Miss equal $3.80 favourites.