De Bergerac is already assured of a start in next month’s Santa Ana Lane Series Final, but the gelding will compete in this Saturday’s final qualifier to finalise its preparation for the Listed event.

The five-year-old, under the care of trainer Grahame Begg, is scheduled to run in the $150,000 open handicap over 1100 metres at Flemington.

This race is the last heat preceding the $175,000 final, which will be contested over 1200m on July 4 Finals Day. Begg was hesitant to have De Bergerac proceed directly from the Listed Straight Six, where it secured second place on May 16, to the final.

“It was going to be six weeks between runs, so he’s got to go around next week,” he commented.

“He loves the Flemington straight and this is his top-off run to go into the Santa Ana Lane two weeks later. He’s already qualified for that because he ran second in the other race (last start).”

De Bergerac finished behind Losesomewinmore in the Straight Six, where it was the heavily-backed $2.90 favourite.

This marked its sixth top-three finish in nine starts up the Flemington straight, with two wins recorded at the track.

The gelding’s fitness has been maintained through a 900m trial on Caulfield’s Heath track last Thursday, finishing third, a length off the winner, Recuperato.

The son of Zoustar is one of three potential runners for Begg in Saturday’s open sprint. His younger half-brother, Royal Insignia, has also been entered, but Begg will monitor the weather before committing the gelding, who struggles to perform at its best on wet surfaces.

Royal Insignia and De Bergerac share the same dam, the Tobougg mare Yau Chin, who is also the mother of Begg’s Blue Diamond winner, Written By.

Written By, a stallion based at Widden Stud, is the sire of Begg’s other contender for Saturday’s open sprint, Samangu. She might be making her first start since finishing second-last in the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 21.

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