Darren Weir has fired in a massive eight nominations in a bid to win the Ballarat Cup for a second time.
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The master trainer, who claimed the race back in 2004 with Just The Part, has entered Andrea Mantegna, Another Coldie, Kiwia, Lucky For All, Master Zephyr, Pleasuring, Top Prospect and Tradesman for the $350,000 feature.
They are among a total of 30 entries for the race.
Final acceptances close on Wednesday when the final field for the 2200m event will be revealed.
“Kiwia and Tradesman both ran at Sandown Saturday and have both pulled up really well. Kiwia was a bit unlucky so they’ll both head that way,” Weir told RSN on Monday morning.
“Master Zephyr, Another Coldie… them types of horses are all heading there.
“Hopefully they get there fit and well and get their chance.”
Kiwia won the group 3 Coongy Cup last year, Tradesman is a former Western Australian galloper, Another Coldie will be looking to add to his recent Horsham and Kyneton cup wins, while Andrea Mantegna collected the Ararat Cup at his latest run. Master Zephyr secured the Hamilton Cup earlier this preparation, Lucky For All won at Caulfield last month, Pleasuring is a group 3 SA Fillies Classic victor from earlier this year and Top Prospect is only a recent addition to the stable which broke through for success at Flemington on November 10.
While Weir has eight nominations, he is not the only local trainer looking to win his hometown feature.
Fellow Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander has Lord Fandango heading to the race, while Matt Cumani has entered One More Try.
Lord Fandango’s spring campaign was delayed when Alexander's stable was quarantined after a strangles outbreak and he was then scratched from the recent group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington after a bout of colic.
The horse’s last win came back in 2017 when he took out the group 2 Herbert Power Stakes before running fourth in the group 1 Caulfield Cup.
Lord Fandango finished a solid fourth behind The Taj Mahal in Saturday’s group 2 Zipping Classic.
Cumani, who is in his fourth season as a trainer, took imported stayer Grey Lion to third in the cup last year.
One More Try scored a courageous win in mares’ company over 1700m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day. That gave the horse three wins on end and five from her last six starts.
Now-banned trainer Robert Smerdon won the 2017 Ballarat Cup with Grand Dreamer, which was ridden by Patrick Moloney.
Runner-up in that race was Oncidium Ruler, with trainer Mick Kent deciding to enter that horse for another crack at the cup this year.
Pilote D’Essai, which won the Ballarat Cup in 2016, has again been nominated by trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
Saturday’s Ballarat Cup is race nine on the bumper 10-race card.