Berry ‘overwhelmed' after first win back from ban
Tommy Berry returns from his riding ban to claim the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes aboard Manaal at Randwick. Picture: Bradley Photos
Star jockey Tommy Berry conceded he was feeling "overwhelmed with emotion" after his comeback win on promising filly Manaal at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Berry returned to the saddle earlier this week after an eight-month riding ban and was back doing what he does best, riding big-race winners with Manaal in the Group 3 $250,000 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).
The first two-year-old race of the new season provided a fitting result with Berry riding Manaal for the Michael Freedman stable as only two years ago, the jockey and trainer combined to win the Golden Slipper with Stay Inside.
.@TommyBerry21 is back with a bang! ????
He guides Manaal to glory in the G3 Gimcrack for @MFreedmanRacing. pic.twitter.com/nyFUUfK1pM
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 30, 2023
Then the colts and geldings stepped out in the Group 3 $250,000 Breeders Plate (1000m) and trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott provided a stable trifecta in the historic event with Espionage edging out Straight Charge and Prost.
Waterhouse and Bott just missed claiming the feature race juvenile double with their filly Celestial Bling finishing a close second with stablemates Lady Of Camelot (fourth), Alinea (fifth) and Lady Tassort (seventh).
But it was Berry's win on Manaal which was the big story after the Gimcrack Stakes.
He was swamped by jockeys, trainers and owners post-race all pleased to see the popular jockey back riding winners.
"It's pretty emotional, this will take a little while to sink in,'' Berry said.
"I've thought about this day for a long time now and I said to myself I'm not going to cry, I've got to cop it on the chin, just move on.
"But it's incredible the amount of support I've got from my family and friends, and so many people in racing – I feel very humbled and grateful to be back doing what I love.''
The Freedman-trained Manaal ($19) finished strongly to score by a short half head from Celestial Bling ($5.50) with a head to Repose ($21) third.
Manaal (right) closed strongly to win the Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images
Favourite Lady Of Camelot ($3.60) hit the front over the rise but was swamped finishing a half-length away in fourth placing.
Manaal ran the Randwick 1000m in 57.87sec (last 600m in 34.36sec) which compared favourably with Espionage's 57.85sec (last 600m in 34.26sec).
"It's terrific to get a result like that and for Tommy (Berry) because we've got a long association,'' Freedman said after Manaal's debut win.
"He's been doing it hard the last six to eight months and I'm sure he'll be thrilled. I'm so happy for Tommy with all his trials and tribulations over the last six or eight months."
Freedman indicated it was unlikely Manaal would remain in training for the $1m Golden Gift in five weeks.
"She'll have a nice little break now and we might be there in the autumn,'' he said,
Since the Golden Slipper was first run in 1957, no Gimcrack winner has trained on to win the world's richest two-year-old race which might be one of the reasons TAB price assessors left her at $51.
But Espionage and Straight Charge were elevated to the top of early Golden Slipper betting at $21 after fighting out the finish Breeders Plate.
A battle down the straight between Espionage and Straight Charge in the G3 Breeders' Plate!@GaiWaterhouse1 quinellas the race and wins her 8th edition of the race. pic.twitter.com/yNdrv51RGN
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 30, 2023
Espionage ($7.50) was ridden by Blake Shinn to score a short half-head win over Straight Charge ($4.60) with Prost ($20) three-quarters of a length away third.
Scampi, the $3 favourite, led for home but folded under pressure and ran 10th, beating only Capitol Hill to the line.
Espionage, a $1 million purchase at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale earlier this year, gave part-owner and leading syndicator James Harron a third Breeders Plate in eight years after previous successes with Capitalist (2015) and Khan (2016).
"All three of my Breeders Plate winners have been ridden by Blake Shinn,'' Harron pointed out.
In contrast to the Gimcrack, winners of the Breeders Plate have a very good record in the Golden Slipper with eight completing the double including Harron's Capitalist (2016). The others were Vancouver (2015), Pierro (2012), Sebring (2008), Luskin Star (1977), Baguette (1970), Eskimo Prince (1964) and Sky High (1960).
Bott conceded he was "trying to dissect it all" after the Tulloch Lodge Breeders Plate trifecta.
"Obviously I saw the two stablemates clear out there and have a great battle,'' Bott said.
"They've been two quality colts all the way through, delighted for all of the connections. It's an important race for these potential stallions going forward and each of those first three across the line are all big players in that department. They've all got significant upside to them."
