After a season that fell short of his own lofty expectations and delivered some challenging lessons, Tommy Berry is looking forward to the clean slate of a fresh racing year.
Berry began last season with high hopes after falling just short in his quest for a first Sydney jockeys’ title in 2020-21 when runner-up to James Mcdonald.
But a series of suspensions, in particular a lengthy penalty over the race fall that left Brenton Avdulla sidelined with a serious neck injury, not only scuppered Berry’s momentum but also his confidence.
“Mentally, that put me off a bit because he’s a mate and him being not in a great way for a fair few months there, mentally that was challenging,” Berry said.
“I probably wasn’t in a great frame of mind even when I came back from that month suspension.
“And then I had a couple of other ones (suspensions) during the year.
“But that’s something I’ve got to clean up in my riding, being competitive but not stepping over that line.”
Berry ended his season fourth on the jockeys’ premiership with 63 wins, short of the 111 he booted home in the preceding 12 months.
But refreshed after a recent break and with a renewed focus on fine-tuning his race day preparations and consistency, Berry is keen to work his way back up the premiership ladder.
“Finishing second to James was probably one of the better seasons I will ever have,” Berry said.
“I wanted to run second to him again this season, which I was for most of the year until the last three months and then I fell back to fourth.
“I wasn’t happy with that so to finish top-two in the premiership again this year would be good.
“A few more Group Ones than I rode last season would be nice as well. You want to aim to ride three or four Group Ones winners a year at least, but five or six would be nice.”
Berry will feature in the opening Group race of the season when he partners Nimalee in the Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
It will be his first ride on the mare and while he expects her to improve deeper into her campaign, he has been buoyed by her recent trials and regards her as a knockout chance.
“For most horses in this race on Saturday, it’s a starting point. For her, it’s no different but I’d be very disappointed if she didn’t run well,” Berry said.
“She performs really well fresh and doesn’t mind the sting out of the track, so she ticks a few boxes.”
He is more bullish about the chances of Pizarro, who backs-up from a win at Rosehill last weekend in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1300m).
Berry partnered the John O’Shea-trained gelding into second on debut at Canterbury in December and is keen to right the ledger.
“He probably should have won that day too, so I get a chance to redeem myself there and hopefully get another win on him,” he said.
“He was really good winning last weekend and for John to back him up and go again, he’s obviously going really well.”
