Respected Miners Rest trainer Dan O'Sullivan isn't too fussed by the thought of a December Ballarat Cup meeting, providing the club is able to maintain its key Saturday status.
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The Ballarat Turf Club is looking at a potential move of its feature card as Racing Victoria contemplates a major shake-up of the spring racing carnival.
A draft plan sees the Melbourne Racing Club's feature Caulfield Guineas and Caulfield Cup meetings moved into late November, which would bump Ballarat Cup day from November 21 to December 5.
O'Sullivan agreed that December 5 looked the most likely date for the Ballarat Cup, if Racing Victoria was to proceed with the MRC's desired move.
"That would be okay, but that's if Racing Victoria allow this to happen," he told The Courier.
"I think we (the local trainers) are basically just saying we'll just deal with it when it comes up."
READ MORE: Ballarat Cup shift looking likely in 2020
O'Sullivan felt the original date in late November, on a Saturday, had worked well in recent years.
"I think it has and the figures say it has," he said.
"I think the attendances were really good and we were able to get a standalone Saturday."
While he didn't have a firm opinion on the possible date change, fellow Miners Rest trainer Mitch Freedman wondered if a shifted Ballarat meeting could be hurt by the quality of horses left in work. Some horses might be ready for a spell so they can return for the autumn or have just been up long enough in the spring, Freedman said.
"I just wonder whether there's too many events on in December... whether it affects attendance, I don't know," he said.
The Herald Sun was reporting early this week that RV said it would not hand down a ruling on the spring dates until June 10.
The Spring Racing Review Committee draft, which if passed by Racing Victoria, would see 12 consecutive Saturdays of group 1 racing during the spring.
