In-form jockey Tommy Berry is poised to keep his winning momentum rolling when he heads to Eagle Farm for a strong book of rides on Stradbroke Handicap day.
Berry booted home a double at the track two weeks ago then returned to Sydney last Saturday and made it an afternoon to remember with a four-winner haul, each of them for different stables.
Three of the trainers he won for at Rosehill – Chris Waller, James Cummings and Peter and Paul Snowden – have secured his services for key rides at Eagle Farm, the Waller-trained Queensland Derby favourite Nobu arguably the best of them.
The three-year-old has hit his straps since returning to Australia following a failed New Zealand Derby bid in March and has won his past two starts over middle distances in Sydney.
Berry was aboard for his dominant victory on the Kensington circuit two runs ago and is optimistic the gelding can deliver him a second Queensland Derby after his win aboard Eagle Way in 2016.
His one reservation is how the Eagle Farm track is playing on race day.
“I think the Derby has fallen away a little bit, you can see that with a few of the fillies heading that way now,” Berry said.
“I think he’ll relish being on a big track at Eagle Farm because he gets back in his races a little bit.
“The only thing he can’t have is the track the way it was racing the other day where you had to be close to the fence and near the inside and a little bit on speed because he gets back and comes down the outside.”
Nobu has retained favouritism at $4.60 after drawing barrier 13, just ahead of South Australian raider Mr Quickie at $5.
Berry also has strong claims in the Group One JJ Atkins Plate (1600m) aboard the Snowdens’ youngster and BTC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Strasbourg, who shares the third line of betting at $5.
Tyzone rounds out his Group One mounts in the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and is a $10 chance.
