DARREN Weir will be defending his home ground in a battle of the giants of Australian racing in the $200,000 sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup on Saturday.
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The season’s leading four trainers nationwide each have runners in the listed event.
Weir, who is the reigning Australian trainers’ premiership titleholder and is again leading the table, has two runners – last year’s Ballarat Cup third placegetter and reigning Victoria country racehorse of the year Hurdy Gurdy Man, and former Melbourne Cup starter and last-start Ararat Gold Cup runner-up At First Sight.
Peter Moody has Fat Al engaged, Chris Waller has Vilanova, David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have Motivado.
Robert Smerdon, who is in the top 10, and Mick Price, who is just outside that bracket, also have starters in what is shaping up as the best quality provincial/country cup in Victoria for the spring as Australia’s leading stable chase a piece of history.
However, Gai Waterhouse will not be pursuing back-to-back Cups after her 2013 success with The Offer.
She did not accept with Pheidon, while Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent has also decided to bypass Ballarat with Zipping Classic runner-up Epingle. Each had been given joint top weight of 60kg.
Sysmo is another surprise absentee after his trainer Tony McEvoy confirmed on Tuesday he would be making the trip to Ballarat.
Despite not accepting with Epingle, Kent will still have an opportunity to win his third Ballarat Cup in five seasons.
Kent, who saluted with My Bentley in 2010 and Domesky in 2011, will saddle up You Think So, which finished fifth last year.
Ballarat’s versatile stayer Tuscan Fire will share the top weight of 60kg with Fat Al.
Kerrin McEvoy will take the ride on the Dan O’Sullivan charge, which has drawn barrier one in the capacity field of 18 (plus one emergency).
McEvoy guided Itstheone to victory for Mark Kavanagh in the 2007 Ballarat Cup.
While O’Sullivan is chasing his first Ballarat Cup triumph with Tuscan, Weir and Smerdon have each tasted success.
Weir scored with Just The Part in 2004 and Smerdon landed the prize with McGuane in 1996.
And while the Ballarat Cup is the one race that has eluded David Hayes in his long and distinguished career, his family has tasted success in the feature event.
His late brother Peter Hayes won with Bottocchi in 1997.
David Hayes has an opportunity with Motivado to snare the race with his nephew Tom Dabernig.
Ballarat jockeys John Allen and Kevin Forrester have secured mounts.
A stable rider for Weir, Allen will be aboard Hurdy Gurdy Man.
Allen moved from Ireland to Australia to pursue greater opportunities in jumps races.
As well as continuing over the jumps, Allen also rides extensively on the flat and a win in the Ballarat Cup would be his biggest success on the flat in his adopted country.
The vastly experienced and widely travelled Forrester returned to Ballarat – where he grew up and launched his riding career – earlier this year to ride for the stable of Barry and Glen James.
He is engaged to ride Mujadale for Stawell trainer Paul Jones after they combined to take out the Ararat Gold Cup.
Craig Williams, who had been booked for Sysmo, will now ride Fat Al.
david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au