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Berkshire to Breeze past rivals again?

Berkshire to Breeze past rivals again?

Boom stayer Berkshire Breeze will chase his fourth-straight win and take another step with his Melbourne Cup ambitions when he lines up at Flemington on Saturday.

Ciaron Maher’s import is due to run in a quality handicap over 2500m this weekend, before he then chases a golden ticket into the Cup field in the Group 3 Archer Stakes on September 14.

Berkshire Breeze hasn’t raced since his effortless victory in the Banjo Patterson Series Final at Flemington in the early part of July.

“He’s really good,” said assistant trainer Jack Turnbull.

“He had seven days out on the grass at Fulmen Park just to give him a little reprieve and then he’s come back in, done a few easy bits of work.

“It’s just been about maintaining him, he worked on Saturday, so seven days out and then he’ll just do something light on the treadmill in between.

“We’re very happy, it will be interesting to see what will go there, but the idea will be to hopefully win this race and then head on to the Archer.”

WATCH: Berkshire Breeze’s last-start Flemington win

In other Melbourne Cup news for the Maher stable, Turnbull revealed that plans remain in place for Middle Earth to travel to Australia for the country’s biggest race.

Currently trained in the United Kingdom by John and Thady Gosden and owned by Maher along with Qatar Bloodstock, Middle Earth was eased out of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last Saturday.

“All reports are that he’s ok,” Turnbull said.

“I spoke to Ciaron this morning, he was with Oisin (Murphy) and had spoken to John and Thady. Physically, he’s ok, he jogged up this morning fine.

“He was never in the race, he never traveled to what I could see and obviously he was pulled up pretty early in the event. I don’t think it will interrupt his Australian plans, so that will be the norm.

“Once we get him down here, we’ll assess him then.”

Berkshire Breeze and Middle Earth are both at $15 with Sportsbet for the Melbourne Cup.