Tommy Berry has a spring in his step with the eminent return of racegoers after lockdown

Top jockey Tommy Berry can’t wait for the crowds to return to the track in time for next week’s TAB The Everest.

Tommy Berry is looking forward to soon be riding in front of crowds after lockdown ends. Picture: Getty Images

Star jockey Tommy Berry echoed the thoughts of his peers by declaring he hopes the Spring Champion Stakes meeting at Royal Randwick tomorrow is the last held behind closed doors.

Racing has been fortunate to keep operating through the pandemic, albeit before empty grandstands since late June due to the Sydney lockdown.

But with Covid restrictions being eased from Monday, Australian Turf Club can host a crowd of 5000 for the $15 million The TAB Everest on October 16 and is hopeful of having around 10,000 to the $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill two weeks later.

“It will be unreal to be riding before a crowd again,” Berry said.

Hilal (left) is expected to run a much improved race in the Stan Fox Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

“Only last Saturday, Hughie (Bowman) and I cantered around to the gates before the Hill Stakes and we were looking back at the grandstand – it was just empty.

“It was sad to see not only because it was so quiet, but just the look of it on such a feature race day.

“When it’s only you out there after winning a big race it can be a pretty lonely place.”

Berry said The Everest crowd, albeit small, will be a welcome sight for racing industry participants next week.

“I can’t wait to see the punters back on track,” Berry said.

“In these big races it’s all about being caught up in the emotion of it and the crowd are a big part of that.

“It’s very hard to stand up in the irons and celebrate when there is no one there.”

Berry said even post-race celebrations with his mates in the jockeys room has been tempered by the pandemic.

“When you go back into the room after a big win you can’t even celebrate it with the boys because we are all separated into small groups in different areas of the grandstand,” Berry said.

Kiku (right) looks a good chance in Race 6 at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

Berry has a strong book of rides for the “ghost town” meeting at Royal Randwick on Saturday including the Team Hawkes-trained Patton in the Group 1 $1 million Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

“Patton can stay and he has put a couple of solid runs together now – he’s not out of this race,” Berry said.

Berry is also optimistic about the chances of Equation in the $500,000 Silver Eagle (1300m),

“Equation is a lovely type and he was good first-up against the bias,” Berry said. “A lot of horses that were on the wrong part of the track that day have run well at their next starts so I’m expecting a big run from Equation – he’s an exciting horse.”

Berry’s other rides include Great News in the Group 3 $250,000 The Nivison (1200m), Hilal (Group 2 $250,000 Stan Fox Stakes, 1500m), Gleneagles (Group 2 $300,000 Roman Consul Stakes, 1200m) and Kiku (Group 3 $160,000 Angst Stakes, 1600m).

“Great News has been racing well all preparation and has finally drawn a barrier,” Berry said.

“Hilal was on the worst part of the track last start and he can definitely improve. Gleneagles is a talented horse and a nice pick-up ride, and Kiku will be hard to beat in her race.”

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Smart Kiwi mare Entriviere has been selected for the inaugural running of The Invitational. Picture: Trish Dunell

Entriviere, Icebath and Vangelic are the first three horses into the inaugural running of the $2 million The Invitation.

Racing NSW and Australian Turf Club officials have formed a selection panel to invite the best fillies and mares in training to contest the rich Royal Randwick race over 1400m on October 23 and being issuing those “invitations” this week.

Brilliant New Zealand mare Entriviere, trained by Jamie Richards, is a confirmed starter in The Invitation and is the early favourite at $3.50 with TAB Fixed Odds.

Entriviere won the Sheraco Stakes when resuming then ran a very good third in the Golden Pendant, producing the fastest closing sectionals of the meeting. She will barrier trial at Randwick on Friday in her final hitout before The Invitation.

Vangelic won the Golden Pendant and is due contest the $500,000 Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday en route to The Invitation.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained mare is in line for some big money races this spring with plans to back her up in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 30 a week after The Invitation,

Icebath, trained by Brad Widdup, is also prominent in early betting on The Invitation and deserves her sport after second placings in the Golden Eagle to Colette last year and a narrow loss to Godolphin’s Cascadian in The Doncaster Mile earlier this year.

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Zaaki is a very short-priced favourite to maintaining his winning form in the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes. Picture: Getty Images

Sydney’s sensational Zaaki has been heavily backed despite being at “Winx-like” odds for the Group 1 $1 million The Might And Power (formerly Caulfield Stakes) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Zaaki is at $1.26 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting to win the Caulfield weight-for-age race but that didn’t stop one punter from investing $50,000 at $1.26 on the Annabel Neasham-trained galloper to maintain his winning momentum.

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TAB Everest favourite Classique Legend and dual Group 1-winning sprinter Eduardo will have crucial barrier trials at Royal Randwick on Friday.

Trainer Les Bridge felt Classique Legend has done so well he needed another solid hitout before the $15 million The TAB Everest (1200m) next week.

Classique Legend will contest a 1050m heat against seven rivals including boom New Zealand mare Entriviere. Bridge had been hoping Eduardo would be among Classique Legend’s rivals in the trial but he scheduled to contest a 740 heat later in the morning. Trainer Joe Pride elected to start Eduardo in the shorter heat to keep him sharp and fresh for The Everest.

Meanwhile, Big Sports Breakfast host Gerard Middleton and Trek To The Everest’s Julie Snook hosted the TAB Everest Launch which was conducted virtually at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday,

Middleton even turned male model by donning the jacket specially-made in Lost And Running’s colours, the sprinter selected by TAB for their Everest slot.

Trainer John O’Shea said Lost And Running can find “two or three lengths improvement” after his fourth in the Premiere Stakes and be competitive in next week’s big race.

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Jockey Jenny Duggan has made a successful return to race riding after a long lay-off. Picture: AAP Image

Racing’s “comeback queen” Jenny Duggan is protecting an unbeaten record when she rides at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Duggan (pictured) has only recently made a return to race riding after a long injury lay-off and has had first foray back to the metropolitan areas this week with two rides – for two wins.

She had her first city ride since suffering serious injuries in a horror fall at Scone last year when she won on Torrens at Warwick Farm on the holiday Monday meeting, her only ride for the day.

Duggan then went to the Rosehill midweeks for one ride and Undeniable duly scored.

At Randwick, Duggan is hoping to continue her winning streak with rides on Forever Jude (TAB Highway), Divine Breath (Midway Handicap) and Plague Stone (Dyson Sprint).

Meanwhile, Emily Waters, strapper of the brilliant bush sprinter Rocket Tiger, is having her very first race rides when she steps out at the Albury picnics on Saturday.

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The Australian Turf Club is mourning the loss of another popular, long-time employee Cherylene Chidgey who passed away after a short illness. She was 65. Cherylene was an employee of the club for more than 30 years and was well respected by racing industry participants. It’s the second tragedy to strike the ATC in five weeks after the recent passing of social media manager Nini Vascotto.

Originally published as Tommy Berry has a spring in his step with the eminent return of racegoers after lockdown