Tommy Berry will be on a mission at Doomben on Saturday – just not the one he thought.
Berry passed up the chance to ride at the lucrative Villiers Stakes meeting in Sydney to partner Magic Millions contender Carriages for Gai Waterhouse in a Brisbane lead-up race.
But the filly didn’t accept for Saturday’s meeting after suffering a minor setback and while it won’t derail her Magic Millions Classic tilt, it has put a dampener on Berry’s weekend plans which have been dealt a further blow by the early scratching of his Brisbane Handicap mount Mouro.
“He was probably my best ride other than the filly (Carriages),” Berry said.
“It hasn’t worked out that well but anyway, we’ll just try to work with what we’ve got.
“I’ve got a few nice rides there still.”
The Sydney jockey will look to his remaining six runners to salvage something from his Brisbane expedition and the Bryan Guy-trained Stroak could be the horse to deliver.
The filly had strong form around Unencumbered as a summer two-year-old and finished fifth to the colt in the Magic Millions Classic.
Berry will ride her for the first time in Saturday’s Listed Gold Edition Plate, a race connections are using as a springboard to the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
“She had a very nice win first-up and I always find Bryan Guy’s horses improve after their first-up run so I’m sure she will,” Berry said.
Whether Berry sticks with Stroak in the Magic Millions race will depend on Waterhouse’s plans for Echo Gal.
That filly is also likely to head to the Gold Coast in January depending on her performance in next week’s Wyong Magic Millions 3YO Stakes.
Berry has also picked up handy mounts aboard the Lacey Morrison-trained Tukiyo in the Just Now Handicap and unraced youngster Red Magic for Danny Bougoure in the Phelan Ready Stakes.
Red Magic has not trialled officially and Berry isn’t sure what to expect from the debutant but says that’s part of the appeal.
“It’s always exciting when you’re riding two-year-olds first time out, you could be getting on anything,” he said.
