Racing
Berkeley Square wins the Ballarat Cup: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes after Berkeley Square claims the Listed Sportsbet Ballarat Cup at Ballarat on Saturday.
Race Result:1st: Berkeley Square (D O'Sullivan/L Nolen) - $92nd: Cadmus (A & S Freedman/P Moloney) - $71
3rd: Statuario (E & D Browne/L Neindorf) - $14
Winning Time: 2:02.58 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 2-3/4L x 1-3/4L
Winning Trainer: Dan O'SullivanBallarat Cup | Berkeley Square
Berkeley Square completes a famous Ballarat Cup double, detonating down the middle of the track to win comprehensively
Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/WEbeaJQGzv
— Racing.com (@Racing) December 6, 2025
This supersedes last year: "It does. We weren't under pressure but it's good to see him do it. With the blinkers on and how he was travelling at the half-mile, I thought this is going to be beautiful and to see him win so comfortably, it's really, really good. He's just a bloody good horse. I've been reluctant to put the blinkers on for a while as I thought he might over-race, but Luke got it perfect today. He's just a bloody good horse and he won over $2 million in prize money now too."
Question marks over draw: "I was paranoid about him settling but he jumped a little bit slow which he can do. I was happy to see Craig's horse (Saint George) go forward and apply a bit of pressure to Air Assault. We knew he would be strong late in the race and to see him win by a couple of lengths there is great."
A team effort: "It is. Jaylah has been at me for a long time and Sarah (Field) has stepped up while Jaylah's been out and they've all got a job to do. They say I don't listen all the time, but I do and sometimes I put it on the backburner, but I do take most things in and sometimes I take my time to make that call."
Winning Jockey: Luke Nolen
"It was important to get the first part right with the blinkers again. The other two times he didn't get cover and there was no chance of rest.
"While he was strong on the bridle, he wasn't aggressive. I got an opportunity in the three-deep line and it just made my job a little bit easier because I wasn't that far from them.
"When the change up came, I gave him a chance to blend in and I had a lot to do still but I hadn't used a penny.
"He just got stronger as he came into it. He's two-for-two at the 2000-metres here so might as well go for a three-peat and it'll be between Jaylah (Kennedy) and me as to who rides it. It is a swings and roundabouts sort of thing. I was supposed to ride this horse in this race last year but I had a fall.
"Jaylah did a marvellous job and I was happy to take the reins again. It is one of those things. You take the rough and the smooth. These things turn around quickly."
One of the runners keeping an eye on?: "Not really. I was just trying to get my part of the race right. Most of the horses that were going to drag me into the race were all forward of me. I thought Craig would push his hand from an outside gate and I couldn't allow to let him roll down the hill and get him back, so I took my medicine and the race turned out really well for us in the end."
Worked with some great trainers - what about Dan O'Sullivan: "He has done an excellent job. The horse has been running well. He was great in the Geelong Cup but he has peaked him on the day. There is an option for him every week and after that so-so run in the Queen Elizabeth at Flemington, he said we'll back off and pick this race for him in a month's time. He needs to be commended for that and he grows a leg on this track too. He's done a great job with him. He's toiled as he hasn't won since this day last year, but he's continued to run well and tested his patience. A lot of the credit goes to Dan and his team, they deserve this success.
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