The five-year-old is Weir's only nomination for the listed $130,000 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup, 2200 metres, on Wednesday.

Oak Heart was a big improver for Weir early this year _ winning back-to-back races at Hamilton and Warrnambool.

He was nominated for the Melbourne Cup and raced honestly in restricted metropolitan class through early spring.

Although he was unable to match it with the big guns in a couple of assignments, Oak Heart did make up plenty of ground finishing sixth in the group two Moonee Valley Cup, 2500m.

At his latest outing, the son of El Moxie had every chance in a 0-95 handicap, 2800m, at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.

Oak Heart carries the well known yellow with red stars and light blue sleeves of owner-breeder and former trainer Greg Mance, who bred the gelding.

Weir won the 2004 Ballarat Cup with Just The Part, which completed consecutive Ballarat Cups for hometown trainers.

Western Waters won for Syd Catherall in 2003.

Oak Heart also leads the Ballarat contingent vying for a cup start.

Red Riviera (trained by Terry Kelly), Golden Charmer (Dan O'Sullivan), Sylvan O'Reilly (Barry James), Kinugawa (Go Shigemi) and Speek of the Devil (Damien Hunter) have also been nominations.

Sylvan O'Reilly is coming off an unlucky second to last drop in the $50,000 Ararat Gold Cup, 2000m on Sunday, while Red Riviera was fourth in the same event.

Sylvan O'Reilly was full of running with 200m to go and only needs a clear passage to make it two Ararat Gold Cups in a row, but he did not get out in time and just came up short.

BALLARAT CUP NOMINATIONS

Allanthus (Brian Jenkins)

Arazamataz (Pat Carey)

Bolle (Barbara Marshman)

Bourbonstreetblues (Daryl Cannon)

Crabs (Chris Hyland)

Daka's Gem (David Brideoake)

Dandaad (Bart Cummings)

Dashatin (Matthew Williams)

Davcon (Heath Conners)

Diamondsondinside (Luke Oliver)

Escape Artist (Peter White)