Berkeley Breaks Drought
Story by Andrew Eddy from Racing.com
One-time Victoria Derby fancy Berkeley Square broke an 18-month drought from the winner’s stall at Caulfield on Saturday, but connections might not have to wait so long for his next victory.
Trainer Dan O’Sullivan said he was delighted to see his former top-class three-year-old show his newfound toughness to score in the $175,000 Gold Heath (2000m) and said he might continue to strike while the iron is hot.
“I’d just like to see him get his confidence back and get another win up, so we’ll look at next week here in another Benchmark 100,” O’Sullivan said.
“While the big players are away, we might just stay at home and make the most of it.”
The length-and-a-quarter victory at the odds of just $2.50 was Berkeley Square’s first win since his Group 2 AAMI Vase (2040m) success in October 2022. He’s only had a handful of runs in that time, however, as he missed a full season after sustaining an infected pedal bone.
Ridden by Luke Currie, the four-year-old had to go back in the race after being caught wide early and then he put in a long, 800-metre run to get that win and to push his prizemoney earnings to just shy of $1 million.
We ended up a bit further back than we hoped and had to make a long, sustained run and had to loop the field,” O’Sullivan said.
“I thought he was very strong to the line and he hadn’t been in front for a while, so he wanted to lay in and did a few things wrong when he got there.
“He made us work for it but he made a long, sustained run and he might be a horse that is looking for further now.
“When he went to the Derby, he was an immature three-year-old and I always thought he’d get out to that trip.
“He got his high rating after just five or six starts and then he missed a season, so I keep saying it’s like going from an Under-17s footballer to the seniors without going through the reserves.
“So, he didn’t get that toughness up but he showed a bit of that today, which was very pleasing.”
Berkeley Square ridden by Luke Currie wins the Avenel Equine Hospital VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield Racecourse on April 27, 2024 in Caulfield, Australia. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)
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