Tommy Berry magic sees Inference take out Randwick Guineas
INFERENCE sprinted best down the outside at Randwick to win the $1 million Group 1 Randwick Guineas on Saturday.
The Hawkes-trained three-year-old came into the race with good wet track form and an unbeaten record second-up, but punters were able to secure $9.30 at Ladbrokes for the son of So You Think.
The outside rail was once again used by Tommy Berry who scored using the same strategy earlier in the day with Frolic in the Reisling Stakes.
“I was always going to go to the inside of Brenton (Avdulla on Invincible Gem) but I would’ve had to change course on him and he’s not the type of horse you can change course and get going again,” Berry said.
“I had such great momentum, it was very tight so I pulled the stick through to the right and pushed him up as close as I could to the outside fence.”
Berry had concerns that he wouldn’t get the ride after producing a less than satisfactory ride in the Victorian Derby, but he’s happy Team Hawkes stuck with him.
“He’s always been a good horse this bloke. I put him up the fence in the Derby in Melbourne so I didn’t know if I’d get on him,” Berry said.
“But he’s so clean-winded, he’ll stay all day and the key to him today was switching off because he can get going a little bit.”
“I can’t thank the Hawkes team enough, they’ve been great support to me.”
The win was bittersweet for Team Hawkes, who narrowly suffered defeat with Chautauqua earlier in the day.
“It is a little bit bittersweet. The grey (Chautauqua) lost no admirers, he ran a super race,” Michael Hawkes said.
“For this bloke (Inference), he has a lot of untapped potential. He went ever so close in the Victoria Derby.
“Second up today at a mile and especially on this bog track, I said to Tommy, ‘if you’re going to win it will be the last 100m, just be patient.’ The rest is history.”
Hawkes is confident the well-bred type will continue to improve as it strengthens.
“The best part of this horse is we trained his Mum (Pontiana) and she had a lot of potential,” Hawkes said.
“The So You Think’s are going great at the moment.
“He is a horse with really untapped potential.”
Invincible Gem was hauled in late by Inference and jockey Brenton Avdulla was feeling the pain of a narrow defeat.
“She ran terrific, obviously she has come a long way. Just a bit heartbreaking to get beat like that,” he said.
Race-favourite Comin’ Through battled on well for third with Joao Moreira in the saddle.