Berry confident Star can handle wet
Pouring rain is likely to produce a heavy track for the Run To The Rose, but that doesn’t worry Star Turn’s jockey Tommy Berry.
A wintry blast has hit Sydney with 25mm falling in the city’s west to Wednesday afternoon rendering the Rosehill track in the heavy range.
More rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday but Berry is confident Star Turn, who won the San Domenico Stakes in soft going at the same track last start, can handle even wetter conditions.
“He’s shown no reason why he couldn’t,” Berry said.
“He’s got a daisy-cutting action so I’d be pretty confident that he would.”
Star Turn pulled off an upset in the Group Three San Domenico, lowering the colours of Golden Slipper winner Capitalist to dramatically alter the complexion of the spring’s three-year-old Group One contests.
A week later Berry rode Divine Prophet to an exciting win in the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick.
Following those performances Divine Prophet became the $6 favourite for the $1 million Golden Rose, while Star Turn now shares the second line of betting at $8.
It remains to be seen whether the Hawkes Racing stablemates will face off in the Group One race at Rosehill on September 10, but having first option is a nice problem to have for Berry.
“Star Turn and Divine Prophet look to be two that are putting their hand up at the moment,” Berry said.
Star Turn has drawn barrier five on Saturday and Berry will look to get cover behind the speed.
“Sometimes he can jump and put himself right there and sometimes he can jump and drop the bit and relax,” Berry said.
“I’d love to see him in behind a couple because we believe he’s a better horse with cover.”
Star Turn is the $4 favourite to win Saturday’s Golden Rose lead-up race with Godolphin colt Impending next pick at $4.60.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Mediterranean is $4.80 and Winx’s sibling El Divino is $5.50.