Tommy Berry knows what it takes to win the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast and has thrown his hat into the ring to partner impressive debut winner Driefontein if she gets there in January.
Berry won the Magic Millions on flying filly Karuta Queen this year and the young jockey was super-impressed with the debut win of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Driefontein in Saturday’s Woods Bagot Handicap (1000m) at Randwick.
Driefontein was heavily supported from $1.70 to start $1.45 on the back of strong trial form, and the daughter of Fastnet Rock didn’t let her supporters down as she exploded away in the straight after sitting three wide in transit.
The filly put three lengths on runner-up Diamond Start ($19) with another long neck to Empress Elect ($10) in third place.
Berry let it be known to Star Thoroughbreds syndicator Denise Martin after Driefontein won a barrier trial last month that he was desperate to partner the filly on debut.
“I’ve never done it before but when I got off it I was just so excited and said, ‘This is dead-set a good two-year-old’,” Berry said.
“When I got off my horse, I had one more trial to go and rang her and said ‘Look, I can’t talk right now but I just want to tell you to put me on Driefontein whenever it is going around’. So it was good to win today.”
Berry would love to continue the association but could face stiff opposition from Waterhouse’s number one stable rider Nash Rawiller.
“I’d like to win it (Magic Millions) two years in a row,” he said.
“Hopefully it gets my weight and not Nash’s or maybe he’ll like something else better. But I’ll stick in there. I’ve liked the horse from day one, Denise knows that and she knows my number.”
Berry won on the Waterhouse-trained two-year-old Pure Hustle at Rosehill last Saturday and that added to his confidence as he rated Driefontein above Pure Hustle.
“This filly is just such a natural,” Berry said.
Driefontein was knocked down to Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds for $75,000 and Martin said Waterhouse was targeting the Magic Millions (1200m).
“She wasn’t an expensive filly but she’s just done nothing wrong from the time she has been in work,” Martin said.
“She’s a really talented filly with a great turn of foot. So Magic Millions here we come.”
AAP TURF
