One of the shortest-priced favourites at Saturday’s The Championships Day 2 – Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day at Royal Randwick won’t be a racehorse but in-form jockey Tommy Berry.
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Tommy is vying to land the much sought-after Nathan Berry Medal named in honour of his twin brother, a former top jockey who passed away in April 2014.
The Medal is awarded to the most successful jockey over the 12 races of The Championships and Tommy sets sail into Saturday’s final day with a handy four-point lead over Sydney colleague, Hugh Bowman.
The point score is determined on a 3-2-1 basis across the 10 Group races as well as the Finals of the Country and Provincial Championships, with the winner announced following the running of the $4 million Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes [2000m].
Tommy Berry bounded from the gates in the point score on Day 1 of The Championships by securing top points when successful aboard Clearly Innocent in the Country Championships Final. He then booted home Tavago [BMW Australian Derby] and Chautauqua [Darley TJ Smith Stakes] to set up his lead with nine points.
On Saturday, the jockey will rely on a full book of rides in each of The Championships races to land his second Medal:-
Unequivocal [Provincial Championships Final], Spright [IG Markets Percy Sykes Stakes], Lake Geneva [Arrowfield 3yo Sprint], Chabaud [James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks], Auvray [Schweppes Sydney Cup], Supara [The Coolmore Legacy Stakes] and Criterion [Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes].
Tommy Berry’s chief dangers, Hugh Bowman and Damien Oliver, have seven and six mounts respectively in the seven 2016 The Championships events.
2016 Nathan Berry Medal winner [TAB fixed odds]
$2.25 Tommy Berry [9 points]
$3.50 Hugh Bowman [5], Damien Oliver [3]
$15 James McDonald [3]
$17 Blake Shinn [1]
$41 Brenton Avdulla [2]
Visit – 2016 Nathan Berry Medal