Berkeley Square’s resurgence to winning form over longer trips at the right time of year has trainer Dan O’Sullivan weighing up which rich ‘secondary’ Cup is the right one for his talented stayer.
Berkeley Square ($4.40 betting favourite) stamped himself back on the winners’ list at Flemington two weeks ago over 1700-metres and followed-up with a near last to first, albeit narrow, victory in the Tile Importer Handicap (1800m) at Sandown.
“He’s got that ripping turn-of foot and we’ve seen that a few times at Flemington,” the Ballarat-based horseman said.
“In his trackwork at home, he can really rip up a couple of furlongs but he just needs that galloping room to get to the outside and be allowed to use that stride.
“And, I think we’ve removed the doubt that he’s just a wet tracker today.”
O’Sullivan’s confidence in the decision-making ability of apprentice Jaylah Kennedy was evident after the Flemington win, and again this time.
“We didn’t think he’d be that far back but she (Kennedy) made the decision after he didn’t jump that well,” O’Sullivan added.
“Jaylah knows him well and she backed herself, and him, to have the ability to run the leaders down.”
Now, for O’Sullivan, it is a question of which Cup to aim for?
The $500,000 Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 23 is one option or the $750,000 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) under lights two days later.
Then, there is the $500,000 Group 3 Bendigo Cup in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“We haven’t put him in the Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup nominations but those other Cups have always been in my mind,” he said.
“I’ve got to make a call soon because he’ll need to have one run before then.”
