Berry’s confident of his Brave play

TOMMY Berry finally gets the opportunity to ride in the $13 million Everest on Godolphin’s Home of the Brave at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The star jockey was denied the opportunity to compete in the inaugural Everest last year, then in recent weeks was frustrated as three sprinters he was due to ride in the big race were ruled out by injury or retirement.

But Berry is going back to the future by joining forces with world racing’s most powerful owner, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, to try to win the richest race on turf.

Berry won the first Group 1 race of his career for the owner when he rode Epaulette to success in the 2012 Golden Rose.

“I’ve always had some luck when riding for the Godolphin stable and it will be an honour to put their colours on for The Everest,’’ Berry said.

After spending a year in Hong Kong, Berry returned to Sydney racing at the start of this season and has had four rides for Godolphin’s trainer James Cummings for two winners and two seconds.

His Everest mount, former English sprinter Home of the Brave has had three Australian starts for the Cummings stable including his impressive win in the Theo Mark Stakes, defeating D’Argento and Everest rival Trapeze Artist before his good last start fourth behind Jungle Cat in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

“Home of the Brave has good overseas form to bring into the race and his runs here show he is going to be very competitive,’’ Berry said.