Tommy Berry to maintain top strike rate

Friday 20 June 2014, 2:42pm

Hong Kong-based jockey Tommy Berry is set to continue his successful fly-in fly-out Group One strike rate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Berry, who has a good book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday, will make a second visit to the Brisbane carnival primarily to ride Cosmic Endeavour in the final Group One race of the season, the Tattersall's Tiara (1400m).

The young star's other key rides are Bayrock (Breakfast Creek Stakes), Bennetta (Healy Stakes) and Queenstown (Mercedes Benz Mile).

Berry, who will resume his position at the Gai Waterhouse stable at the end of the Hong Kong season, made an appearance at Randwick on Friday morning but did not ride work.

Foreman Mark Newnham said having the stable's rider on hand for the big races was a plus.

"He flew into Hong Kong for the first time and won a Group One, he flew into Singapore and won a Group One and then his first visit to Brisbane he rode a treble for us including a Group One," Newnham said.

"Then again he is just riding well full stop."

Berry has won three Australian Group One races this season on Almalad (JJ Atkins), Diamond Drille (Queen of the Turf) and The Offer (Sydney Cup).

He has also won Group One races on Hong Kong star Designs On Rome and Dan Excel, winner of the Singapore Airlines International Cup.

Waterhouse is in England for Royal Ascot but will be keeping a keen eye on the Australian results, especially the performances of Cosmic Endeavour and Driefontein in the Tatt's Tiara.

"They quinellaed the Dane Ripper at Eagle Farm two weeks ago and they have both gone well since then," Newnham said.

"They both are better on top of the ground but a bit of rain and a dead track won't ruin their chances," Newnham said.

Cosmic Endeavour is being shaded for favouritism by last year's winner Red Tracer from the Chris Waller stable.

A Waterhouse win in the Tiara would lift her Group One tally to 125, one more than Lee Freedman and behind only her late father TJ Smith (282) and Bart Cummings (266).

– AAP

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