Trish Dunell
Cambridge trainer Mike Berger had a standout day at his home track on Sunday, recording a treble at Cambridge Raceway.
Four-year-old mare Mhai Uptown Girl kicked off proceedings in the Raewyn Trotter Memorial Mobile Pace (2200m), taking the shortest route home to win by 1-1/4 lengths in the hands of Benjamin Butcher.
Talented two-year-old Eagle Watch continued Berger’s winning ways in the next on the card, running away to a one length victory, while Art Major gelding Arty Pharty secured the treble with a short-margin win in the junior drivers race.
With the treble, Berger equaled his winning tally of 13 from last season and he is pleased to have met that mark with a smaller race team.
“It was a great result for the whole stable and staff, it’s a real team effort,” he said.
“I’m happy with that (13 wins). We are doing a smaller team in the way of racehorses now because I’m just not really into this new (rating) system. I would rather be working young ones and trying to find a couple of nice ones. But it’s a good result.”
Berger was happy with the performances of all three runners, and while he holds reserved expectations with Mhai Uptown Girl and Arty Pharty, he is looking forward to the coming months with Eagle Watch who has a couple of Group One assignments on the horizon.
“Draws are everything now and they got some nice trips and got the breaks and that’s what they need, like most horses,” he said.
“They (Mhai Uptown Girl and Arty Pharty) are not going to set the world on fire. We’re probably looking at moving them on, but we haven’t had any real interest in them at this stage, so we’ll see what happens from hereon in.
“Eagle Watch made the Sires’ Stakes Final (Gr.1, 1980m) so he will fly down to Christchurch on the 14th (of May) and then he will stay down there for the Jewels.”
Meanwhile, Sunday placegetter About Turn is set to back-up in the Sims Pacific Metals Mobile Pace (2200m) at Alexandra Park on Friday and Berger is hoping the Changeover colt can add a third win to his tally after drawing the ace barrier.
“He’s come through the race well,” Berger said. “I thought that he and the two-year-old (Eagle Watch) were my best chances on Sunday. But just the way the race was run, they changed the leader a few times and he got shuffled back a bit, but he ran home really well, so he’ll back-up on Friday.
“He’s genuine, he never throws a bad one in, so we are hoping we can get a dollar with him soon.” – Cambridge Raceway
RACE REPLAY: Eagle Watch has Group One targets ahead after his win at the Cambridge Raceway on Sunday
