John O’Shea’s trained Berdibek has sprouted wings to descend on his rivals and take out the Wyong Gold Cup in a canter on Friday.
Positioned at the rear of the field for most of the running, the talented grey had all but one runner ahead of him when approaching the final turn.
Prior to entering the straight, Hugh Bowman hooked his mount out to position himself the widest runner. Upon entering the straight the eight-year-old gelding let down powerfully with a serious turn of foot, hitting the front in a matter of strides.
From there, it was easy watching for trainer John O’Shea as Berdibek strode away from his competitors, under hands and heels over the concluding stages.
“We knew we had him in great form, but we also knew we needed a bit of luck in the run,” O’Shea said.
“Hugh put him to sleep down the side which when he relaxes, he has a wonderful turn of speed for a mile and a quarter/mile and a half horse.
“When he went to Hawkesbury the other day, he got good ground which he loves and he raced accordingly. He got good ground again today and I think it’s probably been his best effort.”
Having not won the race since 2000 when aboard Pecan Pie, Hugh Bowman was thrilled with the grey’s efforts and his ability to settle in the run.
“He enjoyed that fast pace, he can be inclined to over race if the tempo doesn’t suit,” Bowman said.
“It all fell into place and he was just too good for them.”
O’Shea is now looking to send Berdibek to line up in the Newcastle Gold Cup on September 17.
Earlier in the day, More Prophets took out the Listed Mona Lisa (1300m) for John Thompson. The win also handing James McDonald his fourth winner on the card.
