Tommy Berry believes that his Coolmore Classic mount Adrift could cause another upset over the short priced favourite First Seal in the Group 1 $600,000 Quality for the fillies and mares over 1500m at Rosehill on Saturday.
Adrift is a chance to of scoring another upset win over First Seal in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Berry will be having his first ride on the Gai Waterhouse trained Adrift this campaign and replaces Tye Angland who steered the Zabeel filly to a surprise win over First Seal in the Group 2 $175,000 Liberty International Underwriters Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 14.
Adrift was specked at long odds, $101 in to $41, and was too strong for First Seal who was sent out the $3.70 second favourite.
Berry rode the Team Hawkes trained Mossfun in the Light Fingers Stakes but the 2014 Golden Slipper winner was well beaten into sixth spot as the $3.60 favourite.
Adrift has had another run for a seventh to First Seal in the Group 2 $175,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 but Berry blames a slow getaway and the second up syndrome for her average performance and believes she is a chance of reversing the placings again on the weekend.
“She was a bit slow out of the barriers the other day which didn’t suit her chances but we have beaten First Seal in the past,” Berry wrote in his Sportsman column today.
“I think she is a good horse and when they win first up it has to flatten them second up.”
Adrift has been handicapped on the minimum 52kg, but even though Berry will have to ride a kilo over at 53kg, he is still giving her a great chance of causing another boilover.
“I’m down in 53kg because I’m riding one kilo over, and she has to be a chance,” Berry wrote.
The John Thompson trained First Seal is currently the $1.85 favourite for the Coolmore Classic with Ladbrokes.com.au with the Peter Moody trained Plucky Belle the only other runner under double figures at $9.50.
Next in the market order are Thump and Mahara at $14 with Adrift sharing the next line of betting with top weight Dear Demi at $15.
Adrift’s main Autumn Carnival target is the Group 1 $1m Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 11, the second day of ‘The Championships’.
