SOUTH Australian trainer Tony McEvoy is fixed on going one better than the past two years in Saturday’s listed $200,000 Ballarat Cup.
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McEvoy has had to settle for second with Pelicano in the 2012 and 2013 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cups.
This time McEvoy is pinning his hopes on French-bred Sysmo to capture the major prize.
And he could not be happier with the six-year-old.
Craig Williams has been booked to ride the gelding. He rode Sysmo to a close second to Atacama in a blanket finish in the Cup Day Plate, 1800m, on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington – the second time he has ridden him.
This race is looming as a major guide to Saturday.
Sysmo finished ahead of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Pheidon, with Dan O’Sulivan’s Tuscan Fire fourth after looking the winner – two major cup contenders.
Other Cup entrants, Fat Al (8th), Vilanova (9th), Electric Fusion (10th) and Tanby (16th), also contested the event.
The Cup will be Sysmo’s fourth run this preparation off a long break, but no matter what he does, it will be his last before going to the paddock and being aimed at the autumn.
He ran a solid fourth first-up at Randwick before a luckless fifth in the Sale Cup, 1600m, when bailed up on the rail.
McEvoy said he was originally aiming Sysmo at the Eclipse Stakes, 1800m, but it had been clear in the Cup Day Plate he was looking for more ground.
He said it was then that the Ballarat Cup became the next assignment, with the 2200m considered an ideal progression.
Sysmo is ranked 11th in ballot with 57.5kg.
Williams is a past Ballarat Cup winner. He rode Sentire to victory for Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing in 2007.