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Jockey Tommy confident he can cause massive 2025 Golden Slipper upset aboard Quietly Arrogant

Champion jockey Tommy Berry has made a compelling case for Quietly Arrogant to cause the biggest Golden Slipper upset this century at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Quietly Arrogant was unlucky when beaten just 0.4-lengths into third in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Randwick on March 1. Picture: Bradley Photos
Quietly Arrogant was unlucky when beaten just 0.4-lengths into third in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Randwick on March 1. Picture: Bradley Photos

Champion jockey Tommy Berry has made a compelling case for Quietly Arrogant to cause the biggest Golden Slipper upset this century at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Berry, a three-time winner of the world’s richest two-year-old race, said the results of the final lead-up races won by Skyhook and Memo last weekend had given him growing confidence in Quietly Arrogant.

Skyhook was a brilliant winner of the Pago Pago Stakes and the Peter Snowden-trained Memo, a stablemate of Quietly Arrogant, finished powerfully to win the Magic Night Stakes although she won’t back-up in the Golden Slipper.

Berry pointed out that Quietly Arrogant finished right alongside Skyhook when an unlucky third in the Skyline Stakes last start and his colt had “matched motors” with Memo at trackwork.

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In latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, Skyhook has vaulted to $8 third favouritism behind Wodeton at $4.50 and Tempted at $6 but Quietly Arrogant is one of the rank outsiders at $34.

The longest priced Slipper winner this century has been the $26 bet about Phelan Ready (2008) and Kiamichi (2019), with Sweet Embrace (40/1 in 1967) the biggest outsider to win the race.

However, Berry and Snowden are adamant there should not be such a disparity in betting between Quietly Arrogant and Skyhook for Saturday’s showpiece race.

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“All the form around Quietly Arrogant stacks up really well,’’ Berry said.

“He was unlucky in the Skyline when he ran a very close third and Skyhook came out of that race and was really good last Saturday.

“I’ve ridden Quietly Arrogant in his last two gallops and this colt is building confidence all the time.

“When I galloped him last Tuesday compared to the Tuesday before, there was a big improvement. He’s getting better all the time.’’

Jockey Tommy Berry (centre) celebrates his 2021 Golden Slipper victory aboard Stay Inside with trainers Richard (left) and Michael Freedman. Picture: Mark Evans / Getty Images
Jockey Tommy Berry (centre) celebrates his 2021 Golden Slipper victory aboard Stay Inside with trainers Richard (left) and Michael Freedman. Picture: Mark Evans / Getty Images

Berry has already won three Golden Slippers on Overreach (2013), Vancouver (2015) and Stay Inside (2021) and is chasing the long-stand race riding record of four wins shared by Hall of Fame jockeys Shane Dye and Ron Quinton.

But the jockey conceded Quietly Arrogant’s winning chances could be determined by the all-important Slipper barrier draw on Tuesday.

“I think the barrier draw is so crucial, this year more so than just about any other year,’’ Berry said.

“The barrier draws have brought some of the favourites undone in the lead up-races. So, if it is doing that in the lead-up races then it is probably going to happen in the Slipper.

“Hopefully, Quietly Arrogant can get a nice draw, inside eight preferably, and have a bit of luck in running because he is in the mix.’’

  
  

Quietly Arrogant also has a “strong team” behind him, as Berry pointed out.

“I’ve got a good record in the race, (part-owner) Henry Field buys these colts to win Golden Slippers and Peter Snowden is as good as you get when it comes to training Slipper winners,’’ Berry said.

Field’s Newgate Farm has two Golden Slippers on his mantelpiece with Capitalist (2016) and Stay Inside and Snowden has also won the race twice with Sepoy (2011) and Capitalist (2016).

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Snowden agreed this was a very open Golden Slipper with no dominant two-year-old.

“They are a very even group of two-year-olds,’’ Snowden said. “Nothing has really stood out all season.

“You could have four picks in the Slipper and not get a placegetter. It’s going to be a very competitive race.’’

Snowden confirmed Memo was definitely out of the Golden Slipper despite pulling up well after her barnstorming win last Saturday.

“Memo’s come through the race in great order but she’s had a long campaign and it would be too much to ask of her to back-up in the Slipper,’’ Snowden said. “We will see how she does over the next couple of weeks but she could go to the Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick.’’

GOLDEN SLIPPER BETTING
$5 million | 2YO, 1200m | Rosehill Gardens, Saturday
$4.50 Wodeton
$6 Tempted
$8 Skyhook
$9 Devil Night, Within The Law
$11 Rivellino, Bellazaine
$15 North England
$21 and longer the rest
#Market: TAB Fixed Odds

Originally published as Jockey Tommy confident he can cause massive 2025 Golden Slipper upset aboard Quietly Arrogant

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/nsw-racing/jockey-tommy-confident-he-can-cause-massive-2025-golden-slipper-upset-aboard-quietly-arrogant/news-story/0554749df6aa45f4caf03e128f5b0851