A month into his return to riding, Tommy Berry is back in the groove, but it is with a fresh perspective and desire.
Having spent eight months on the sidelines over improper dealings with a punter, Berry returned to the saddle last month and wasted little time making his mark.
Leading into Thursday’s Gosford meeting, he had already racked up nine winners, including a double at Randwick last Saturday, and was looking forward to another strong book of seven rides this weekend.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start back. My weight is coming down and the support from trainers has been amazing,” Berry said.
“I’m looking at racing in a different light than I used to, having time away from the sport was good. I’m glad it happened in the end.
“The circumstances obviously weren’t great, but it afforded me time to figure out more about myself which I haven’t done (before).
“it made me really hungry to get back to what I love and enjoy, and it made me appreciate the position I’m in in our sport where there are plenty of people who work just as hard as me but don’t get the opportunities.”
Berry’s first win back was aboard the Michael Freedman-trained Manaal in the Gimcrack Stakes and he will link with the Randwick horseman in two feature races at Randwick on Saturday partnering Mumbai Muse in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) and Ducasse in the Callander-Presnell (1600m).
Managing a top-four finish in both the Silver Shadow and Furious Stakes over 1200 metres, Mumbai Muse found the step to 1400 metres a stretch when unplaced in the Tea Rose Stakes.
She has been freshened for the drop back in distance and Berry says she is a horse he has been keen to reunite with this spring after riding her in her first barrier trial.
“I’ve liked her the whole way through. I was itching to get back to ride her in the Flight Stakes, I was back that weekend but she didn’t run because she didn’t run out the trip the start before,” Berry said.
“I’ve got no doubt she will run 14(00 metres), maybe a mile in time, just not as a three-year-old.
“She has drawn favourably in a race that’s probably a bit weaker than what she has been in, and she gets in well at the weights.
“She’s a deserved favourite in the race and she’ll be very hard to beat.”
Stablemate Ducasse has turned in eye-catching performances in the Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) and Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) and was having his first run for a month when finishing within two lengths off Makarena (1400m) in the Tapp-Craig last start.
He has drawn wide at his past two starts and again has a tough gate in 12 on Saturday, but Berry is hoping it’s not such a negative over the Randwick mile.
“The mile is key. It’s a lot kinder than what Rosehill is, but we would have really liked to draw a gate. He has hardly drawn a gate all prep,” he said.
“We’ve put a set of visors on him this week and I think we’ll ride him a bit closer and just hope for a bit of luck.”
Berry’s Randwick book also includes Ravello for John O’Shea in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Chris Waller pair of No Compromise in the Group 3 Craven Plate (1800m) and Roots in The Invitation (1400m).