Berry aims to be Boss
STAR jockey Tommy Berry has been studying the Glen Boss manual on how to win feature Randwick miles as he prepares for the ride on Mo’unga in the $1.5m TAB Epsom (1600m) on Saturday.
Boss has a record second to none in Group 1 races over the Royal Randwick 1600m course including wins in seven Doncaster Miles and four Epsoms.
In fact, if Boss can win a fifth Epsom on Reloaded on Saturday, he will equal one of the oldest records in Australian racing – Don Nicholson rode his fifth Epsom winner in 1884 and remains the most successful jockey in the race’s long history.
But Berry plans to prevent Boss from achieving the historical feat by using his rival’s tactics and riding Mo’unga with intent early from barrier 13 in the Epsom, positioning the four-year-old close to the leaders.
“I’ve watched ‘Bossy’ win plenty of these big Randwick miles from wide barriers and one thing I’ve noticed is he is always positive from the start,’’ Berry said.
“He gets across into a position, drops in and finds a bit of cover and that’s how I believe I should be riding Mo’unga.
“I need to talk to Annabel (Neasham, trainer) about
what she is thinking but I want to put Mo’unga into the race because he is so competitive.’’
The Epsom’s final field and barrier draw was released on Tuesday with Mo’unga rated at $6 in TAB Fixed Odds betting behind only Riodini at $4.40. The latest news on the big race includes:
Four-year-old Mo’unga is from the age group that’s dominated the Epsom, winning 19 of the past 30.
Mo’unga is the topweight with 57kg and is attempting to become the sixth No.1 saddlecloth bearer to win the race in the past 30 years.
Since 2000, no fewer than 12 Epsom winners have started
from barrier 10 or wider – including seven of the past eight – with Probabeel coming out of gate 15 last year.
Gai Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott, has a chance to train a record eighth Epsom winner with Riodini or Discharged.
Berry, who resumes riding at Wyong on Thursday after
serving a month-long careless riding suspension, maintains Mo’unga is not badly weighted in the Epsom.
“I think Mo’unga has got in quite well … considering he is a dual Group 1 winner (Rosehill Guineas, Winx Stakes),’’ Berry said.,
“I wouldn’t swap him for any other ride in the race.”