Adelaide Cup remains target for burdened Berkeley Square
Dan O'Sullivan, trainer of Berkeley Square, along with the horse's connections, have stuck to their guns on the Adelaide Cup despite the stern weight and barrier one position.
The trainer honed his skills in Adelaide before shifting base to Ballarat, where he claimed the 2008 Adelaide Cup via Lacey Underall.
That said, the upcoming Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on Monday would mean even more with most owners hailing from Adelaide.
The mounting yard went berserk after Berkeley Square's repeat Ballarat Cup (2000m) victory back in December, but expect total mayhem if the six-year-old salutes on Monday.
"It would be good to go back and do it again, especially for his owners who are Adelaide based," O'Sullivan said.
"Some haven’t seen race for a little while."
Still, Berkeley Square confronts a tough assignment.
With 59.5kg to carry, the gelding exceeds the loads of 1.5kg that Hyperno (1978) and Gallic (2007) managed in their metric-era triumphs post-1973.
On the positive side, the 53kg bottom weight marks a 3kg increase from Bohemiath's era at century's turn, even as Gallic overcame a 53kg floor.
The gelding qualified for Adelaide by lugging 61.5kg successfully over 2500m at Flemington February 14, repeating with jockey Luke Nolen on Monday.
"It was a good ride," O'Sullivan said.
"He looked after the horse and made sure he ran the trip out with the view of going up to two miles.
"I've got no problems with the trip. I think he can do whatever we want him to do.
"He's never done that and you want to see it, but it won’t be easy with the weight, but he is a big bugger, and he has the form on the board.
"He is a Group 2 winner and has done a lot more than some of the others in the race."
Post-Flemington, all has been seamless for O'Sullivan's charge, with a few gallops ensuring Berkeley Square stays on song.
"I'm happy with where he’s at and we’ve just got to get him over there safely and he’ll be right to go," O'Sullivan said.
Visit online bookmakers to find the keenest markets for the Adelaide Cup.
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