Rock and roll: Berry ready to scale new heights in Randwick group 1s
It has been a great start to the season for Tommy Berry – 21 city winners and a couple of group 1s – but the best indicator of his focus might be that he will ride at 52.5 kilograms on Rock in the Epsom at Randwick tomorrow.
Berry is fit, focused and full of confidence after winning the George Main Stakes on Kolding and Golden Rose on Ole Kirk in the past couple of weeks. And he is ready to add more top-level success tomorrow.
Tommy Berry takes out the Golden Rose on Ole Kirk last Saturday.Credit:Getty
‘‘This is the best start I have had to a season; confidence-wise, mentality, fitness, health, weight, everything is on track,’’ he said. ‘‘It is the best start I have had physically and mentally to a season. The challenge for me is to keep it going because in the past I have hit flat spots, but at the moment I’m very happy.’’
Berry will look for a group 1 for a third consecutive week with Dame Giselle in the Flight Stakes, Rock in the Epsom and his Metropolitan ride, former Australian Derby winner Angel Of Truth. It is Rock that has had him working hard to get the scales down after his second consecutive Cameron Handicap win at Newcastle last month.
‘‘I don’t get down to 52.5kg very often and it is a year or two since I have done it,’’ Berry said. ‘‘It is horses like Rock that make you want to do it and make it a bit easier, because he is very well weighted in the Epsom. He is a horse that has a very good turn of foot at the end of a mile, which is the trait of most Epsom and Doncaster winners.’’
Tommy Berry celebrates victory on Ole Kirk in the Golden Rose.Credit:Getty
Berry was not disappointed in drawing in the middle of the field with Rock, which enjoys room when he makes his late charges, and he will be looking for the right horse to follow into the race from the half mile.
‘‘He is drawn out, but he is going to get back anyway,’’ Berry said. ‘‘We have all the class runners out there with us – Funstar, Probabeel and Imaging. They are going to be back in the field with us, which helps. I would like to get on the back of one of them to take us into the race, because he has a sharp sprint but not a really long one.’’
Berry has been checking the weather forecasts hoping for a dry track because Rock enjoys firm ground.
‘‘He is going better than he was last year when he was fifth in the Epsom and that was on a wet track, and we know he doesn’t handle that sort of track,’’ he said.
Berry is hopeful he will have banked a group 1 by the time he jumps aboard Rock, with Dame Giselle among the favourites in the Flight Stakes. ‘‘She is a very, very good filly and they have not been able to beat her so far this spring,’’ Berry said.
While the good conditions favour two of his group 1 rides, Angel Of Truth would probably prefer it a bit softer. ‘‘He has gate speed and the blinkers on, so he will be there for a long way,’’ Berry said.
Racing writer for The Sydney Morning Herald