Swords Drawn is expected to be Mike Moroney’s runner in the Ballarat Cup as the trainer chases back-to-back wins in the Listed race.
Moroney won last year’s rain-sodden Ballarat Cup with Bankers Choice and will rely on another veteran in this year’s $500,000 race over 2000m.
Swords Drawn will be backing up from finishing fourth in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
It was not the route Moroney was expecting to be taking with Swords Drawn, but it was a suitable back-up option after missing a start the week prior.
Swords Drawn had been engaged to contest the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m) on November 26, but the meeting was abandoned after three races over concerns with the track.
“We were going to go to the Kilmore Cup and then into the Ballarat Cup, so that threw us off a little, so we had to go to Caulfield,” Moroney said.
Moroney saw enough in Swords Drawn’s performance last Saturday to run the gelding again on Saturday, proving he gets through the remainder of the week unscathed.
It was Swords Drawn’s second run back from a spell after the gelding finished tenth in the Group 2 Damien Oliver (1400m) at Flemington on November 4.
“He made good ground again late, which was a bit surprising because I thought he still had some freshness in his legs, but he obviously didn’t,” Moroney said.
“He was pretty unlucky over 1400 metres at Flemington which surprised us up on top of the ground, but he was under pressure a long way-out on Saturday, but he picked up and ran on again.
“He seems to just take that one run and then becomes pretty dour.
“The 2000 metres will suit him third-up and there is some rain forecast, and he does handle that.”
Last year’s Ballarat Cup meeting was lashed with rain and the forecast is varying for Saturday.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a day of 17 degrees with between 1-20mm of rain.
When nominations closed on Monday, 27 horses had been nominated including former Victoria Derby winner Warning, Derby placegetter Young Werther and South Australian Derby winner Dunkel.
Moroney reported Bankers Choice was likely to be spelled after finishing second in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
