The South Australian Derby appears a likely target for Magicool after the three-year-old returned to winning form at Caulfield.

Trainer Mark Kavanagh took blinkers off the gelding after his unplaced Alister Clark Stakes start and the move worked as Magicool settled in behind the lead before going on to score narrowly in Saturday's Bert Bryant Handicap (2000m).

"He was always travelling like the winner," Kavanagh said.

"We've had a few issues with him. In the spring last year he hit the front and was swallowing his tongue and then he was over-racing this preparation.

"Now we've got the blinkers off he just travelled like a good horse. He got a bit lost when he hit the front and stargazed a bit but I like the way he travelled in the run."

Magicool won the Listed UCI Stakes at Flemington in October and ended his spring campaign with a fifth in the Group One Victoria Derby.

However, Magicool's win in the UCI Stakes is under scrutiny because he was found to have a cobalt reading above the allowed threshold in a post-race sample that day.

Kavanagh is one of four Victorian trainers under investigation by stewards along with Danny O'Brien, Peter Moody and the training partnership of Lee and Shannon Hope who have had horses return a cobalt reading above the threshold of 200 micrograms per litre in urine which was introduced in Victoria in April last year.

Investigations are continuing and no charges have been laid.

Kavanagh said Magicool was likely to have his next start in Adelaide in two weeks.

The South Australian Derby is on May 9.

Magicool started $4.60 and after hitting the front early in the straight, defeated Triple Gold ($9) by a short head with 2-3/4 lengths to General James and Telaawa who dead-heated for third.

The win gave leading apprentice Patrick Moloney an early winning double from the first three races.