Cups squarely in focus for consistent stayer

Berkeley Square may not always be in the headlines, but he’s certainly in the hearts of those around him – a horse every trainer would be proud to have.

The well-tried galloper returns to action in the Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday, kicking off another campaign aimed at spring targets.

In his last 13 appearances, the son of Territories has only missed the placings three times, capturing the Ballarat Cup (2000m) as a highlight.

He’s also proven competitive in elite company, with top-three finishes in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Zipping Classic, and Coongy Cup.

After one subpar run in February, a well-earned spell has him primed for this fresh run, according to Dan O’Sullivan.

“He had a good break,” the trainer said.

“We’ll look to do what we did last year but with his rating above 100 now we might be looking at races like the Heatherlie Handicap, the Coongy and the Bendigo and Ballarat Cups again.”

Though Saturday’s trip isn’t ideal, O’Sullivan is confident in his charge’s ability to adapt.

“Barrier one isn’t ideal but the horse is going well and he loves Flemington and the mile.

It might be short of distance but he has come back very, very well.”

At $51, Berkeley Square is a genuine each-way option in a competitive field. Oh Too Good, who aims for back-to-back Flemington wins, is favourite at $2.80.

Bet smart on the Winter Championship and access all the best Australian bookmakers via justhorseracing.com.au.