Ciaron Maher’s stable heads into Saturday’s Mornington Cup with a strong quartet, all looking to secure a golden ticket into the Caulfield Cup later this year.
Smokin’ Romans, Berkshire Breeze, Strawberry Rock and Night Endeavor will each vie for victory in the 2400-metre Listed feature, where the winner earns ballot exemption into October’s Caulfield Cup.
With $180,000 in prize money on the line this weekend and a potential $3 million purse in the Caulfield Cup, there’s even more incentive thanks to a $1 million bonus for completing the double.
Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull, who is based at Mornington, says the Cup represents a fantastic opportunity.
“It’s a rich prize money race worth $300,000 and there’s not a lot of Black Type staying events around at the moment and with the carrot of getting into the Caulfield Cup, it’s a great initiative,” Turnbull said.
Among the stable’s four runners, Turnbull highlighted Berkshire Breeze as their top hope following a strong showing behind Deakin last start.
“Of the four, Berkshire Breeze is the pick. He’s got the form, and he put in a very good effort behind Deakin last time.”
While Berkshire Breeze earned a Caulfield Cup start last year, he finished last after a long winter prep and Turnbull says he wasn’t quite ready for that level at the time.
“We have to remember he was very well placed in the winter, beating the B graders,” Turnbull said.
“He was looking better than what he was at the time, and you hope that he keeps profiling with that trajectory into being a Group horse.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t, but in saying that he was up for a long time and by the time he got to the Caulfield Cup he was quite light and wasn’t conditioned or seasoned enough to keep going.
“Having this season and coming back again for the spring, he should be more seasoned.”
Turnbull was also encouraged by Night Endeavor’s recent run when third in the Easter Cup (2000m) earlier this month and believes the 2400m will suit him perfectly.
“He’s capable of taking a race like this,” Turnbull said.
“I like the fact that he’s coming into it fresh. He’s fit but not taxed.
“If he was to win on Saturday, then you could protect him into the spring.”
As for Smokin’ Romans, who finished tenth in The Roy Higgins, Turnbull believes the race shape worked against him.
“He had his own way in front, and then the speed quickened, and that essentially just gassed him,” he said.
“He needs to get the right sectionals, being allowed to bowl along and then he can sustain that, but if he’s rushed, which he was, he goes the other way.”
Strawberry Rock, another Maher runner, will also line up on Saturday after a successful Tasmanian campaign and freshen-up heading into the Mornington feature.
