The Rosehill track has been rated a heavy 9 with the rail in the true position for the Run To The Rose Race Day today.
Tommy Berry rides Star Turn, above, in the Run To The Rose at Rosehiill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry rode a gallop on the course proper on the fence at Rosehill this morning and said it was definitely a heavy 9 but added that with a clear day ahead the track could see an upgrade to a heavy 8 at some stage during the day.
“I was on the fence. It felt like a heavy nine this morning,”Berry told Racing HQ Saturday.
“It is definitely in the heavy range. But I felt like if we get a nice bit of weather before the races it could get to a heavy eight.”
Berry said that he was surprised to find that it was much colder riding on the course proper after riding trackwork on the inside grass earlier in the morning.
“I was surprised. I rode on the inside grass all morning and later on I rode on the course proper. It a good two, three, four degrees colder out there and it just takes a little bit longer with it being a little colder on the course proper for it to dry out,” Berry said.
Berry said that the jockeys would be looking for better ground away from the rail and is expecting most riders will be heading to the centre of the track looking for the better going.
“Obviously we are going to be getting off that (the fence) for sure. It will be a little bit better out in the centre of the track.”
Berry will be riding the $3.10 favourite Star Turn in the Group 2 $175,000 MTA Run To The Rose (1200m) and is confident that the Star Witness colt will handle the step up the 1200m.
Star Turn resumed from a spell a fortnight ago with an impressive win in the Group 3 $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill and Berry said that he felt strong at the end of the 1100m.
“He has come back much stronger, he is doing a lot right, he is relaxing better in his races. I have no doubt he will run 1200m,” Berry said.
“He gave me a nice feel at the end of his race the other day. He will be able to get the trip no problem.”
The Team Hawkes trained colt has continued to improve since his first up run in the San Domenico Stakes and Berry said that he would be very hard to beat again against some tougher opposition.
“I saw him this morning and he looks great. Couldn’t be happier with him,” Berry said.
“He has made improvement since his first up run and he was always going to strip fitter from that run.”
“Obviously he has to step up again to beat this field. It is a smart bunch of horses and hopefully he can. If he can he is definitely as good as we think he is.”
Market order for The Run To The Rose at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.10 Star Turn, $4.80 Impending, $6 Mediterranean, $6.50 El Divino, $7 Astern, $15 Telperion, $17 Good Standing, $34 Tessera, $41 Manolo Blahniq, $51 Cellarman, $61 Nikitas, $101 Gadfly.
