Matthew Williams’ Eclipse Stakes winner at Sandown last Saturday Turnitaround could be on a quick back-up into this Saturday’s Ballarat Cup 2016 field featuring in the nominations for the handicap clash.
Eclipse Stakes winner at Ladbrokes Park last weekend Turnitaround is one of the top 2016 Ballarat Cup nominations for Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
One of the richest country Victorian cups, this year’s $300,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2200m) has attracted a bumper 28 early entries at nomination stage.
On Zipping Classic Day at Ladbrokes Park, Williams’ Hard Spun six-year-old enjoyed a narrow win in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m).
He is now one of the top-rated Ballarat Cup nominations taken for Saturday’s feature race in Victoria.
Also out of the Eclipse Stakes and nominated for a Ballarat Cup run seven days later is the Darren Weir-trained third placegetter Lidari, formerly with Peter Moody.
An imported French galloper, the OTI Racing-owned eight-year-old Acclamation stallion was impressive late in the Eclipse Stakes beaten under a length over 1800m.
With winning form up to 2400m, he could be able to turn the tables on Turnitaround if the duo both back-up in the Ballarat Cup field.
Part-owner Terry Henderson also said the stable were looking at a trip west for the $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (2000m) in Perth on December 3 if all went well for Lidari.
Weir has a dominant hand looking at the entries for Saturday with a total of five nominees.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winning horseman has also entered for another former French horse Auvray who ran eighth in the Eclipse Stakes, Lord Van Percy coming off a seventh in the same lead-up, Master Zephyr and Taiyoo.
A seven-year-old son of Haradasun, Taiyoo comes off a win in the Kyneton Cup (2000m) from November 2 where the veteran carried a hefty 60kg to victory.
Weir enjoyed his first home town cup win with Just The Part 12 years ago.
The Kyneton Cup runner-up Tears Of Joy is also nominated for the Ballarat Cup, Mark Kavanagh’s inform Street Cry mare to race at the track for the first time since October of 2014 if accepted.
Another Eclipse Stakes graduate entered for the Ballarat Cup is the Lee & Anthony Freedman-trained Cool Chap, the four-year-old running sixth only 2.25 lengths off the winner as the beaten favourite.
Team Freedman have also entered Street Cry five-year-old Nozomi who comes off a second over 2000m at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day.
Provincial Cups’ specialist and former Group 1 winner Puccini, now with Wayne Walters, is another headline entry.
He ran second in the Horsham Cup (1800m) in late October under 62.5kg and second to Count Of Limonade the run before the Avoca Cup (1860m) ahead of this possible step back up in class.
The highest-rated of the entries meanwhile is the Lindsay Park-trained Rising Romance who has just the one win (February 2014 in NZ) since her 2014 ATC Oaks victory.
Check out the full Ballarat Cup 2016 nominations below ahead of the final field being released later in the week.
Then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to enjoy access to all the best spring – summer racing odds and offer!
2016 Ballarat Cup Nominations
Ballarat Racecourse – 20/11/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29×0944793 | ARIANNE (NZ) | M | 5 | Pat Hyland | 70 |
| 2 | 1x4740x008 | AUVRAY (FR) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 97 |
| 3 | 16415×0 | CHARLEVOIX | H | 4 | Michael Kent | 74 |
| 4 | 30x8011x02 | COLDSTONE (FR) | G | 5 | Michael Kent | 85 |
| 5 | 21213×9226 | COOL CHAP | G | 4 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | 83 |
| 6 | x576x90848 | CRAFTY CRUISER | G | 9 | Bryce Stanaway | 84 |
| 7 | 4453153141 | DELIGHTFUL SON | G | 5 | Peter White | 69 |
| 8 | 106x0x0830 | DESERT JEUNEY | G | 7 | Nigel Blackiston | 96 |
| 9 | 893×486407 | GO DREAMING | G | 7 | Grant Kluske | 89 |
| 10 | 811×099411 | GOLDEN OLDIES | G | 5 | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | 80 |
| 11 | 74126×5266 | LADY LE FAY (NZ) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 96 |
| 12 | x1xD2x0293 | LIDARI (FR) | H | 8 | Darren Weir | 102 |
| 13 | 1519125×67 | LORD VAN PERCY (GB) | G | 7 | Darren Weir | 94 |
| 14 | 20×9845900 | MAGNAPAL | G | 7 | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | 96 |
| 15 | 1282×30930 | MANAGERESS | M | 5 | Cindy Alderson | 91 |
| 16 | 144×362688 | MASTER ZEPHYR (GB) | G | 5 | Darren Weir | 86 |
| 17 | 3x67x66142 | NOZOMI | G | 5 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | 89 |
| 18 | x0730x5950 | OBSERVATIONAL (GB) | G | 6 | John Sadler | 94 |
| 19 | 14x1x22529 | PILOTE D’ESSAI (GB) | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 87 |
| 20 | 4402846×22 | PUCCINI (NZ) | H | 6 | Wayne Walters | 100 |
| 21 | 3540×27408 | RISING ROMANCE (NZ) | M | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 105 |
| 22 | x153413x43 | SCHERZOSO | G | 5 | Tony McEvoy | 89 |
| 23 | 211x2x4442 | SOMETHING TO SHARE | G | 9 | Dane Smith | 79 |
| 24 | 000396×990 | SONNTAG | G | 6 | Henry Dwyer | 85 |
| 25 | 757×560031 | TAIYOO | G | 7 | Darren Weir | 101 |
| 26 | 13122×9022 | TEARS OF JOY | M | 5 | Mark Kavanagh | 78 |
| 27 | 311118×301 | TURNITAROUND | G | 6 | Matthew Williams | 104 |
| 28 | x912598415 | WHITE DOLLAR SIGN | G | 5 | John Thom | 72 |
