Trainer Royden Bergerson will put the Group 3 Winter Cup (1600m) aspirations of stable runners Bradman and Queen Of Spades to the test at Trentham on Saturday.
Bradman will tackle the open 1100m event while Queen Of Spades will line-up in the last race of the day, the rating 75 1400m contest.
The pair have had contrasting build-ups to their challenge for the feature flat event at the upcoming Riccarton three-day winter carnival, with Bergerson keen to see them both perform to expectations on the weekend to confirm their place at the premier southern winter racing event.
“Both of them are nominated for Riccarton, but at this stage I would think Bradman has the best chance of getting the nod to travel down there,” Bergerson said.
“Queen Of Spades has been a little disappointing in her two starts so far this campaign, but I think she has taken time to get her fitness up.
“She put on 80kgs during her break and I’ve had a hell of a job getting it off her.
“After her last run I thought it might be best to put the Riccarton plans on hold as she just didn’t show enough.
“Her work has been a lot better lately and she shows real ability on wet tracks, while she has gone alright at Trentham before so I’m hoping to see her near her best on Saturday, especially if we get a few showers to loosen the track up a little.
“If she could win well then we would probably put Riccarton back on the agenda.”
Bergerson doesn’t hold the same fears for Bradman who has proven in his 37-start career to date that he handles all types of going.
What has been more of an issue for the son of outstanding broodmare Baggy Green, the dam of multiple Australian Group One winner Tofane, Group One winner No Compromise and last years Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) runner-up Benaud, has been keeping his concentration on the track and not outside influences.
“Bradman has been a frustrating horse from day one as he went from being as quiet as a lamb to realising he was a colt on his first day at the races,” he said.
“We had to geld him and even now he gets about like he is still a lad at different times.
“The ability has always been there and hopefully he has now finally matured physically and mentally to start putting the wins together.
“He is a horse who loves being in work and when he comes in from a break he thrives.
“He picked up a brace of wins then ran a really good second before we tipped him out for 10 days.
“He ran fifth after that break and I think he was probably just a little underdone.
“His work this week has been fantastic and I’ve gone for the 4kg apprentice claim of Jim Chung to help him even more.
“He drops nearly a stone in weight on his last two starts, so I’m expecting to see him go a pretty cheeky race.”
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