Berkeley Square will attempt to become the second locally-trained galloper in a decade to go back-to-back in the Ballarat Cup.
Kiwia won successive Cups in 2018 and 2019, firstly over 2200m for Darren Weir before the race was shortened to 2000m the following year when successful under the care of Archie Alexander.
Berkeley Square gave trainer Dan O’Sullivan his first hometown Cup win when successful last year and is hoping the gelding can repeat the dose on Saturday.
“I would never say that it was a goal winning the race, although you always like to win any good race,” O’Sullivan said.
“We had Tuscan Fire nearly start favourite in it one year and then we just got beaten with Affair To Remember during the COVID year, so it really was a big buzz last year, and the horse deserved it.
“Then you throw Jaylah (Kennedy) in the mix. She got back on him, it was her 100th career win and her first Listed win on her favourite horse in her own backyard.”
Had the programming been different, Berkeley Square would have contested the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) had the race been held at Sandown instead of Caulfield.
Berkeley Square finished third in the Zipping last year before backing up a week later to win the Ballarat Cup.
O’Sullivan said the weather also played a role in his decision to bypass Caulfield not wanting to have another run on a wet track as Berkeley Square felt the effects of a heavy track run when fifth in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 8.
“As much as he has been effective on a wet track, his last run it was pretty wet, so I thought I would rather keep him for Ballarat,” O’Sullivan said.
“Four weeks between runs, back to the 2000 (metres), he’s freshened up nicely.
“He’s nice and bright and we’re trying to go back-to-back.”
Berkeley Square was one of 29 nominations for the Ballarat Cup with South Australian visitor Air Assault, last Saturday’s Eclipse Stakes winner Casino Seventeen, his Gavin Bedggood-trained stablemate Kingswood and Ciaron Maher’s Saint George among his potential rivals.
O’Sullivan said it would have been nice to again team with Jaylah Kennedy, but she is still not back to full fitness after knee surgery.
“I spoke to her the other day, and it won’t be until January I would say,” O’Sullivan said.
“It’s one of those injuries you can’t come back too soon from. If you fall off, or twist the knee, you go back to where you were, so you have to be right.”
