Tommy Berry has realistic premiership ambitions after winning double to start new season

Tommy Berry produced a masterclass ride to land the opening metropolitan race of the new season at Rosehill and followed up with another upset win later in the meeting.

Tommy Berry produced a brilliant ride on Medatsu to win the first race of the new season at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Tommy Berry has a realistic ambition for the Sydney jockey premiership after riding the first winner of the season at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

“To finish as close to James (McDonald) as I can,” Berry said.

“He had proven to be very hard to beat over the years.

“Running second to him is great and if I can beat him all well and good but I would need a lot to go my way.”

Berry got his premiership campaign off to the best possible start when he rode an astute race on Medatsu to win the Jockeys Appreciation Handicap (1100m).

But almost as if on cue, McDonald started his premiership defence winning the very next race on The Extreme Cat in the Midway Handicap.

Medatsu wins first up at $19 fixed odds, resuming from a 40 week spell! 🙌@TommyBerry21 🤝 @cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/GpBLeIbbwA

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 3, 2024

There was a presentation for McDonald, trainer Chris Waller and apprentice Zac Lloyd, for their 2023-24 Sydney premiership wins after the Rosehill opener.

Lloyd is due to come out of his time in November and is such a prodigious talent, he would be aiming for a top five finish at least in the rider’s rankings.

McDonald and Waller are at “Winx-like” odds to win the jockey and trainer premiership again in the new season – although, perhaps, both men have a bigger battle to retain their titles than in recent seasons.

The jockey’s title will be determined by how much time McDonald spends in the stewards room and if he can remain relatively injury-free for the season.

But McDonald, who has won six consecutive Sydney titles, is also a man in-demand and he will spend a lot of time riding interstate during carnival time and overseas, particularly Hong Kong, which gives rivals like Berry a potential opportunity to focus on the premiership.

Waller won his 14th consecutive Sydney trainer premiership with 148 wins last season and got the 2024-25 season off to the perfect start with Medatsu’s win.

However, the fast-finishing effort of the runner-up, the Ciaron Maher-trained Until Valhalla, could be indicative of what might unfold in Sydney this season.

Maher was third with 62 wins in the premiership last season but he has a growing stable presence in NSW and could challenge Waller’s domination of the Sydney premiership.

At least Berry and Waller are on the board for 2024-25 after Medatsu ($21) sustained a long, wide run to hold off Until Valhalla ($5.50) to win by three-quarters of a length with Autumnmation ($7.50) a close third.

Lady Boss was sent out the $3.40 favourite but after leading into the straight, she faded from contention and beat only one rival to the line.

The favourite salutes!

The Extreme Cat wins Race 2 at Rosehill with @mcacajamez on board for @ndoyleracing. pic.twitter.com/WauGyhYnJl

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 3, 2024

Berry, who has been a two-time premiership runner-up behind McDonald and boasts a career-best 111 wins set in 2020-21, said he was aware of the moderate early tempo and decided to make use of Medatsu’s staying ability by taking off from last before the 600m and sweeping around the field to join the leaders on the turn.

“We were always going to put him into the race a little bit early,” Berry said.

“But I probably put him into the race as bit earlier than Chris (Waller) would have liked.

“If I had waited a bit longer, given how sedate the tempo was, they would all have got going and I would have ended up six-wide on the corner.

“I went when I did because it was too early for the others to make their runs and my bloke, being a 2000m horse, I knew he would sustain his run.”

Medatsu, a stakes placegetter in New Zealand, scored his second win from just seven career starts and looks a stayer of some promise.

Waller was only given Medatsu less than 12 months ago but thought enough of the gelding to run him in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes last October only to finish well back behind Tom Kitten.

Medatsu was found to have a bone chip in a fetlock soon after that race and did not race again last season although Waller feels the extended break will be beneficial as it gave the four-year-old time to develop.

“He had a little problem so we gave him a decent break and he’s recovered well, he’s good now,” Waller said.

“We will find a race for him in about three weeks. He will have a week to get over this run then we will assess him in about 10 days and find a suitable race for him.

“Our stable is fortunate to have some very good track riders and they will tell him if a horse has improved and if it can get further. They normally get it right and they help me out a lot.”

Berry causes boilover with last-to-first win on Nosey Parker

Jockey Tommy Berry capitalised on a frantic speed battle to help Nosey Parker score a terrific last-to-finish triumph at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Berry was four lengths off the second last horse at the 800m mark before helping the Paul Perry-trained galloper go through his gears from the 600m.

With the leaders running on empty, Nosey Parker ($31) sailed down the outside to beat Bjorn Baker’s luckless mare Spring Lee ($2.15) by half a length in the Jockeys Celebration Day Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m).

Nosey Parker storms home and wins at $26 odds in Race 6 at Rosehill!💰@[e-mail]/5IwXK3B6c6

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 3, 2024

“He is a horse that likes to find his rhythm,” Berry said.

“He is better over a little bit further but Andrew Adkins gave me a pretty good push for him during the week, saying he’s a very honest horse with a good turn of foot.

“I knew this race had the shape to overdo it early and that’s what they did.

“It was made up for something to come from behind and luckily that was us.”

Berry, who rode the first winner of the day on Medatsu, came to Rosehill Gardens thinking Nosey Parker could run well but not considering him a winning chance.

Nosey Parker had finished seventh at both her past two starts leading into Saturday and was dropping back in trip from 1300m.

“He was just here today to run well and honestly any of us thought he would win but halfway around he just picked up so well for me,” Berry said.

“He’s lovely big horse to look at so hopefully he is in for a good rest of his prep.”

Country sprinter Compelling Truth’s four race winning streak came to an end after leading the field up with Bomarea and fading late.

- additional reporting by Mitch Cohen

Originally published as Tommy Berry has realistic premiership ambitions after winning double to start new season