De Bergerac's final preparation ahead of Santa Ana Lane Series
With a place already secured in next month's Santa Ana Lane Series Final, De Bergerac will have its final tune-up in this Saturday's qualifier for the Listed event.
The Grahame Begg-trained five-year-old, a gelding, is set to contest the $150,000 open handicap over 1100 metres at Flemington.
This race represents the last heat before the $175,000 final, scheduled for 1200m on July 4 Finals Day. Begg was hesitant to have De Bergerac race directly from the Listed Straight Six, where it was a runner-up on May 16, to the final.
"It was going to be six weeks between runs, so he's got to go around next week," Begg stated.
"He loves the Flemington straight and this is his top-off run to go into the Santa Ana Lane two weeks later. He's already qualified for that because he ran second in the other race (last start)."
De Bergerac finished second to Losesomewinmore in the Straight Six, carrying favouritism at $2.90.
This result extended its record to six top-three finishes from nine starts along the Flemington straight, where it has recorded two wins.
Recuperato won a 900m trial on Caulfield's Heath track last Thursday, in which De Bergerac was third, a length behind the winner, to keep the gelding race-fit.
The son of Zoustar is one of three potential starters for Begg in Saturday's open sprint. His younger half-brother, Royal Insignia, has also been entered, but Begg will wait on the weather forecast before committing the gelding, who struggles on wet ground.
Yau Chin, the dam of Royal Insignia and De Bergerac, is also the mother of Begg's Blue Diamond winner, Written By.
Written By, standing at Widden Stud, sired Begg's other entry for Saturday's open sprint, Samangu. She is a possibility to make her first start since finishing second-last in the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 21.
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