Trainer Dan O’Sullivan says he is keeping to his normal pattern as he prepares Berkeley Square for the 2022 Caulfield Guineas.
O’Sullivan is chasing his first Group 1 win and will saddle the second favourite in Saturday’s contest for three-year-olds.
With a long history in racing, O’Sullivan does not allow his emotions to boil over, but he admits that later in the week he will begin to get a bit anxious.
“I’m trying not to overthink it, but I will later in the week, no doubt,” O’Sullivan said.
“It’s not just getting this race but when the owners have knocked back big money for him, you don’t want anything going wrong because as soon as something goes wrong, he gets devalued.”
O’Sullivan has kept things as normal as possible since Berkeley Square’s victory at Flemington on September 10.
He kept the three-year-old at his Ballarat stable on light duties until the gelding told him he was ready to step up the work.
Berkeley Square galloped on Tuesday, again on Saturday and will wind up his Guineas preparation with a gallop at Ballarat on Tuesday.
O’Sullivan sees the rise to 1600m being no problem and isn’t concerned about a return to Caulfield, the scene of his solitary defeat in Berkeley Square’s four start career.
What O’Sullivan does not want is an inside draw.
“A horse like him, with his size, you would like every race at Flemington, but that can’t always happen, so we’re happy to go back to Caulfield and have a crack at it,” O’Sullivan said.
“I think with every horse you would prefer to see in a mid-range draw as you can weigh up your options. He’s been beaten once and he drew barrier one, so I don’t want barrier one.
“I would like it to dry out and make for good racing, but the day he raced at Caulfield, that was a soft track. I certainly don’t want heavy, but what do you do, you have to have a go at it.”
O’Sullivan said Berkeley Square could race on following the Caulfield Guineas with the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on October 29 as a potential option.
“We’ll get through Saturday and discuss,” O’Sullivan said.
“If we can get to the Derby, we will, but autumn comes up pretty quick, so there are little things like that that you have to keep in the back of your mind.”
