Wyong guide to Berry's Millions chances

Wednesday 19 December 2012, 3:08pm

Tommy Berry will know more about his prospects of winning a third straight Magic Millions Classic when he rides Certitude in a major lead-up race on Thursday.

Berry has won the $2 million feature at the Gold Coast on Karuta Queen and Driefontein and will partner Certitude in Thursday's $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions (1100m).

A victory would cement the filly's claims to the January 12 feature in Queensland.

"She's got to be almost winning at Wyong tomorrow to be very competitive in the Queensland race," said Berry, who also won the Wyong Magic Millions on Karuta Queen.

"It's a very good lead-up and it looks to be one of the best fields for the Wyong race they've had.

"I think we'll get a very good guide and if she can win then I'd say she'll probably start favourite at the Gold Coast."

The Wyong race will be run without Melbourne debut winner Calcatta with trainer Robert Smerdon deciding to scratch her after she drew wide.

Certitude won by five lengths on debut at Rosehill last month and is on the second line of betting for the Gold Coast Magic Millions.

She is favourite to win at Wyong and Berry wants to be positive from the outset.

He said she got a bit lost on debut before sprinting away in the straight.

"I saw her the other morning just going out for a canter and she has really strengthened up and matured since her first win," he said.

Berry and trainer Gai Waterhouse are well-placed to chase the feature double on Thursday with Driefontein resuming in the Wyong Magic Millions 3YO Stakes (1200m).

Driefontein is on the path to the Gold Coast for the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m).

"I've been happy with her all preparation but on Saturday morning she really got me excited," Berry said.

"She had her final gallop on the course proper at Randwick and ran slashing time for her final furlong. I've been excited ever since then."

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »