A favour done during the spring might pay dividends this autumn as Tommy Berry joins forces with Cliff Brown-prepared Sepals for the Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill.
Sepals previously competed in Sydney, securing second place behind Autumn Glow in the Golden Eagle (1500m) on November 1 aboard Ethan Brown.
Berry had commitments at Flemington for the Derby Day card that afternoon, yet volunteered to assist Cliff Brown ahead of the Golden Eagle by working Sepals during track sessions.
The trainer and jockey share a link via Berry’s deceased brother, Nathan, who rode in Singapore during Brown’s training tenure there, prompting Brown to select Berry for this weekend’s Doncaster Prelude (1500m) from his Mornington base.
“I knew I was going to be riding in Melbourne on Golden Eagle Day, but I said to him, ‘I’m happy to do all of the horse’s gallops if you’d like, even though I’m not riding him’,” Berry said.
“He kept that in the back of his mind coming into this ‘prep’ and gave me a call well in advance. It was a ride I was happy to take early.”
In addition to his Golden Eagle runner-up spot to Autumn Glow, Sepals took out the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) last September and signalled a strong return with a brave fourth to Caballus in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) first-up.
He carries topweight of 59.5kg on Saturday, though Berry anticipates no hindrance to his prospects.
“He handles all conditions, and he is the class runner of the field, so the weight is probably deserved,” Berry said.
“I galloped him on Tuesday morning. He worked behind Pallaton, who is not only a very good horse in his own right, but a very good trackworker as well. They put in a nice, sharp piece on the course proper together so he’s in good order.
“I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t go close to winning.”
Sepals is nominated for the Doncaster Mile (1600m) in a fortnight, with the All Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 18 also under consideration.
However, with just 54.5kg in the Doncaster, Berry has a preference for that direction.
“I know there’s the option for him to go to an All Aged. I’m hoping to convince Cliff maybe a Doncaster because I could ride him there. But we’ll see how he goes on the weekend first,” he said.
Horses from Victoria have been dominating key Sydney events lately, including Guest House in the Golden Slipper (1200m) and Sheza Alibi in the Randwick Guineas (1600m).
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