Ballarat ready to rock 2014 Ballarat Cup next Saturday

The city of Ballarat will be rocking next weekend when the Ballarat Cup strides into town for a standalone Saturday meeting.

The hard working Ballarat Turf Club (BTC) has had a tough time of it since ripping up the turf following last year’s Cup meeting in November, but despite the numerous setbacks along the way, the track returned to racing in October to much kudos from the racing fraternity.

It’s been a team effort at the BTC to be rewarded with a prime time slot for their biggest race day of the year.

The progressive race club has made continual improvements both on and off the track in recent times.

The introduction of the $200,000 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic, $100,000 Magic Millions 3YO Classic and $100,000 Thomas Jewellers VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade to Cup day has been a huge success.

Off the track they have built a regional training centre that provides outstanding facilities for local trainers, the ongoing flow of Ballarat trained winners is testament to that.

The Ballarat Cup Day meeting itself offers a whopping $1,000,000 in prizemoney, with the $200,000 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup (2200m) the feature race of the day.

The local Ballarat and surrounding communities will turn out in their droves to witness the running of the 2014 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup on its new Saturday date.

Last year they witnessed Gai Waterhouse trained stayer The Offer blitz his rivals to win the Cup by 3.25L in an awesome display under the guidance of Damien Oliver.

In the race before the Cup, the crowd were treated to an exciting 2.75L win by an emerging Darren Weir trained galloper who won in a breeze, his name, Trust In A Gust.

Trust In A Gust is now a dual Group 1 winner and there’s bound to be another emerging star who makes his presence felt next Saturday.

It’s an exciting time for the city of Ballarat and we have the Ballarat Turf Club and Racing Victoria to thank.

The 2014 Ballarat Cup will take place on Saturday 22nd November 2014 at Sportsbet-Ballarat racecourse in Ballarat.

Visit the Ballarat Turf Club website for all ticketing and dining options.

2014 Ballarat Cup Races

The Ballarat Turf Club will host a 10 race meeting on 2014 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup Day.

– $200,000 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup 2200m
– $200,000 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic 1000m
– $100,000 Magic Millions 3YO Classic 1100m
– $100,000 Thomas Jewellers VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade 1400m
– $50,000 BM70 Handicap 1600m
– $60,000 BM70 Handicap 2300m
– $50,000 Isuzu BM84 Handicap 1400m
– $80,000 City Of Ballarat Tonks Plate 1200m
– $80,000 Redbank Handicap 1600m
– $80,000 Mares Plate 1200m

Nominations for the meeting will be announced on Monday 17th November 2014 and fields will be released after acceptances on Wednesday 19th November 2014.

2013 Ballarat Cup Day Results

The Offer, ridden by Damien Oliver and trained by Gai Waterhouse, defeated Pelicano and Hurdy Gurdy to win the 2013 Ballarat Cup in a time of  2:25.10.

Race 1 Tracy Placement People (BM70) 1400m
1- $13.00 First Bloom Michelle Payne Darren Weir 56.0
2- $4.80 Big Memory Damien Oliver Tony Mc Evoy 58.5
3- $4.40 Galway Gal Jason Collett Dan Cunningham 58.5
Margins: 1/2 neck, 3 len
Time: 1:28.76

Race 2 Myer Spring Fashion Hcp (64) 1400m
1- $4.20 Roxanne Of Sydney Mark Zahra Colin & Cindy Alderson 59.5
2- $12.00 Hogan’s Warrior J Noonan Greg Eurell 58.5
3- $17.00 Whispering Miss Ms Nikita Mclean Kylie Vella 58.5
Margins: 1/2 neck, short 1/2 head
Time: 1:30.76

Race 3 Sita Australia Hcp (64) 1200m
1- $5.50 Tiger’s Cub Mark Zahra Jim Mason 58.5
2- $6.00 Make Mine Brandy Daniel Stackhouse Mark Riley 57.0
3- $3.10 Vintage Lad Brad Rawiller Michael Kent 57.0
Margins: Short head, 2 3/4 len
Time: 1:14.37

Race 4 Magic Million Ballarat 3YO Classic
1- $3.70 Anatina Ben Melham Robert Smerdon 55.0
2- $10.00 Kraftwerk Mark Zahra John Sadler 57.0
3- $8.50 Fiftyshadesofgrey Damien Oliver Marc Conners 57.0
Margins: 1 3/4 len, 3/4 len
Time: 1:07.05

Race 5 Redbank BM78 Hcp 1600m
1- $7.00 Initiator Michelle Payne Aaron Purcell 54.5
2- $4.40 Kenjorwood Luke Nolen Peter Moody 56.0
3- $6.50 Bradman Nicholas Hall David Hayes 56.0
Margins: 3 1/4 len, 3 1/2 len
Time: 1:43.43

Race 6 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic 1000m
1- $1.85 Sheer Style Jason Collett Garry Frazer 55.0
2- $14.00 Geromayo Stephen Baster Mick Price 57.0
3- $14.00 I Am The General Jake Noonan Mick Price 57.0
Margins: Len, 3/4 len
Time: 1:01.96

Race 7 Thomas Gold Eureka Stockade 1400m
1- $2.05 Trust In A Gust Brad Rawiller Darren Weir 57.0
2- $6.00 Churchill Dancer Nicholas Hall David Hayes 57.0
3- $11.00 Gambaccini Daniel Moor Anthony Freedman 57.0
Margins: 2 3/4 len, 3 len
Time: 1:28.83

Race 8 Sportsbet.Com.Au Ballarat Cup 2200m
1- $4.00 The Offer Damien Oliver Ms Gai Waterhouse 54.0
2- $9.50 Pelicano Ben Melham Tony Mc Evoy 60.0
3- $16.00 Hurdy Gurdy Man Brad Rawiller Darren Weir 60.0
Margins: 3 1/4 len, 3/4 len
Time: 2:25.10

Race 9 Lucas Ballarat (BM70) 2200m
1- $5.00 Spinderbella Glen Boss Robert Smerdon 56.0
2- $2.40 He’snotthemessiah Damien Oliver Michael Kent 58.0
3- $21.00 Handsome Brad Rawiller Troy Portelli 58.0
Margins: 4 len, short 1/2 head
Time: 2:27.42

Race 10 City Of Ballarat Tonks Plate 1200m
1- $14.00 Ventic Billy Egan Byron Cozamanis 54.0
2- $5.50 Anlon Peter Mertens Darren Weir 54.0
3- $14.00 Hotham Heights Dean Yendall Luke Oliver 54.0
Margins: Long neck, neck
Time: 1:13.47