FOR Robert Smerdon, the Ballarat Cup remains special.
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Although he is based at Caulfield these days, Ballarat is still the leading trainer’s hometown. He still retains his former stables too as a satellite operation.
The son of trainer Bob Smerdon, he cut his teeth in the stables of his great uncle and master horseman Arthur Smerdon at the Ballarat track.
He embarked on a riding career and then took up training – where else than in Ballarat.
Smerdon achieved in 1996 what most trainers strive for – a win in his home cup, with McGuane saluting.
He has made many attempts since then, finishing third with Mayshiel in 2000 and third again with Sale Of Century two years ago.
It is not unusual for Smerdon to have a well fancied runner in the race, but winning since McGuane has proved elusive.
He looks to have his best chance in sometime though with smart mare Ungrateful Ellen in the $300,000 Sportsbest.com.au Ballarat Cup, 2200m, on Saturday.
Ungrateful Ellen has been favourite since markets opened at acceptance time on Wednesday.
Smerdon has specifically set the four-year-old for the listed event, choosing to byass the Zipping Classic, 2400m, at Sandown a week ago in preference for Ballarat – saying she is better suited under handicap conditions than the weight-for-age of the the Zipping Classic is a weight-for-age feature.
He said her program was designed around going to the Matriarch (in which she fin
CUP MARKET
sportsbet.com.au
$5.50 Ungrateful Ellen
$8.50 Akzar
$9 Mujadale
$9 Sysmo
$10 Index Linked
$11 Tooleybuc Kid
$15 Maygrove
$17 Zayzam
$17 Prince Cheri
$17 Digitalism
$17 Ponderosa Miss
$18 Sonntag
$19 Junoob
$31 Crafty Cruiser
$51 Lorde Durante
$61 Wales
$101 Tanby
ished fourth at Flemington) and then the Zipping Classic.
Smerdon said it was after the Matriarch that he decided to head to Ballarat, with an ideal distance.
She ran second over 2200m, to eventual Cox Plate winner Winx in the group 1 Queensland Oaks in May.
Smerdon is not the only trainer with a runner in the Cup who made the call to bypass other options.
Sydney’s Matthew Smith has chosen Ballarat over two other races for French-bred stayer Zayam.
Zayam could have run in a lesser race at Doomben or even closer to home at Rosehill, but with $300,000 on offer Ballarat won out.
"You've got to take risks to get ahead in whatever you do and if you don't you end up nowhere," the Warwick Farm-based Smith said. "So we're going to have a go and see what happens."
Zayam will be chasing a winning hat-trick. Smith says Zayam is a horse that likes to race forward and the draw in one will enable to do that.