Central Districts raider Sindacato is on trial for a Group One assignment when he heads to Ellerslie on Sunday to contest the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m).
The Per Incanto gelding holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham next month, and a tilt at that race will be dictated by his performance this weekend.
It will be the first trip away from home for the six-year-old but that doesn’t hold any concerns for Bergerson.
"He’ll go up to Richard Collett’s (Pukekohe) at 6am in the morning,” Bergerson said.
“It is a big trip for them but he is a pretty level-headed horse, he will handle the trip well, I hope.”
Sindacato has won two and placed in two of his four starts to date and Bergerson said the lightly raced six-year-old is starting to show his ability.
“He is putting it all together,” Bergerson said. “He got injured as a young horse and it is taking him a while to come right. If he stays in one piece he should be hard to beat.”
Sindacato will be ridden from barrier nine by Leith Innes and TAB bookmakers have installed him as an $8 third favourite for the race behind Banker’s Choice ($4.20) and Image Of You ($6).
“He will get in a handy position, hopefully in the one-one,” Bergerson said. “He has got a good jockey on, so he will give him every chance.”
Back on his home track of Awapuni, Bergerson will line-up a handful of runners on Boxing Day, however, some may head to New Plymouth’s meeting on Monday instead.
Bergerson will have a two-pronged attack in the Power Farming Manawatu 1400 with debutant Straight Scooter and Krone, who lost her rider when on debut at Hawke’s Bay earlier this month.
“They are both very nice horses that won’t take long to win races,” Bergerson said.
“Straight Scooter’s trial was good the other day, he rounded it off really well.
“It was unfortunate that with Krone the jockey got tipped out of the saddle but she hasn’t lost her confidence and she is a really nice filly going forward. I can’t wait to get her over ground.”
Bergson will also line-up Putorino in the Tui Backing A Winner Since 1889 and Sweetjineen in the Lawnmaster 3YO (1200m).
“I think Sweetjineen is a very good chance in the maiden three-year-old,” he said. “Her form line is very strong and she has got four-kilos off her back so they will know she is there.
“Putorino’s run was super at Hawke’s Bay. He will be finishing off very strongly and his work has been really good since he raced.”
Bergson said he is leaning towards starting his remaining two runners, Town Cryer and Reign It In, at New Plymouth the following day.
“I am debating whether Town Cryer runs there (Manawatu Summer Cup, 1550m) or in the New Plymouth Cup. I wouldn’t mind getting her up over ground in her next start, so I am contemplating going to New Plymouth for the 1800m,” he said.
“We don’t know if we are going to Palmerston North or New Plymouth yet with Reign It In, we will just let the dust settle.
“He has drawn badly at both places so we have just got to weigh it up.”