The Ciaron Maher stable is chasing a Golden Ticket into the Melbourne Cup with two of their stayers at Flemington.
Interpretation and Berkshire Breeze contest the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday with victory providing a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5.
The Archer Stakes has been transferred from Victoria Derby Day, three days before the Melbourne Cup, and is one of two remaining ballot free races into the Cup.
Jack Turnbull, assistant trainer to Maher in charge of the stable’s Cranbourne and Fingal set-ups, said both horses were running for a spot in the Cup.
“Berkshire Breeze was beaten last start after winning three in a row,” Turnbull said.
“We had to lead last time which we didn’t want to do, but he’s a horse that has very good staying potential.
“He’ll be ridden off the speed on Saturday. He’s drawn in 10, so we’ll have to, but there looks to be OK speed on paper.
“Dashing Duchess goes forward, among a few others, and he’s a far better chaser which he’ll be doing on Saturday.”
The Maher stable is expecting a better showing from Interpretation who will be racing with blinkers on in a bid to turn around his fortunes.
The former Aidan O’Brien-trained galloper has not been racing in blinkers of late as he builds fitness towards the pointy end of the spring.
“He’s very much a blinker horse,” Turnbull said.
“He raced as an entire with Aidan as a younger horse and he tends to fluff around without them on.
“He does stay well, and he ran a slashing race in the Melbourne Cup last year and he’ll be there to make his presence felt.
“If he doesn’t run top three, we can look at other options to get him into the Melbourne Cup again, but he’ll be there to be running well.
“The Golden Ticket is what we’re after with both horses.”
Turnbull said if Berkshire Breeze or Interpretation was to win on Saturday, then they would likely to have just one more run prior to the Cup.