A pre-race discussion with his manager proved pivotal for jockey Tommy Berry, convincing him to adopt a patient strategy aboard Travolta. This approach paid dividends as Berry guided the horse to victory in the prestigious Sydney Gold Cup.
Berry had partnered Travolta on several occasions previously, noting the horse’s consistent performances but lack of wins. This led to a reassessment of their race-day tactics for the $750,000 event.
“I had a chat with ‘Joicey’ this morning about this bloke. I’ve ridden him a few times when I thought he was a good thing, got him to the outside, and he just doesn’t sustain a gallop,” Berry revealed. “Today, I planned to ride him with a bit of cover and sneak through them and have that one last crack. He’s got a really good turn of foot. He’s been racing against some pretty decent cattle this prep. Master work by Chris (Waller) as usual. He gave him a bit of a freshen up, and he felt well today.”
Following Berry’s plan, Travolta ($15) was settled early before Berry navigated a path through the field in the home straight, unleashing a late burst to win by a half-length. Barrengarry ($2.80 favourite) finished second, with Starzintheireyes ($5) a further half-length back in third.
Zane Jones, representing trainer Chris Waller, explained that the decision was made to focus Travolta on middle-distance races this preparation, moving away from longer distances attempted in the autumn. The gelding had reportedly thrived after a recent spell.
“Chris has always had a good opinion of the horse. He lost his way a bit last prep when we tried him over a lot further, and he wasn’t quite finishing off his races,” Jones stated. “Today, we freshened him up, gave him a trial, rode him quieter and that way he was able to show his turn of foot and finish over the top.”
Travolta’s return to winning form has put him in contention for races like the Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle’s Hunter program, a potential target during the provincial carnivals.
The win capped a successful day for Waller, who also secured two Group 1 victories in Melbourne with Stormy Marco in the Victoria Derby (2500m) and Lady Shenandoah in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), alongside two other stakes races.
“They’re knocking up winning races in Melbourne, so we thought we’d join the party late in the day,” Jones commented.
Berry and Waller are set to combine forces again in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday with Soul Of Spain. The stayer previously finished second in the Sydney Cup (3200m) in April, and Berry considers him a chance, particularly if he draws favourably.
“I just pray that he draws well so I can get him into a good rhythm,” Berry said. “He’s got 3200-metre form there, and he’s trained by Chris Waller, and isn’t he having a carnival so far. It would be a nice one to have on the mantlepiece.”
For those looking to back a winner, the racing odds for the upcoming feature races are already attracting attention from leading Australian betting sites.
