Search

show me:

Tommy Berry Holds On For Premiership Win

3 minute read

Tommy Berry has claimed the Hawkesbury riding premiership for 2018-19 despite not riding at the final meeting of the season on Sunday.

Tommy Berry
Tommy Berry Picture: . (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

His 13 winners for the season proved to be sufficient despite Jason Collett and Rachel King each riding a winner on the final day program to tie for second on 12.

Father and son team Peter and Paul Snowden claimed the trainers' premiership with 12 wins, one ahead of Godolphin's James Cummings.

Robbie Dolan won the apprentices' premiership with five wins from Mikayla Weir (three wins).

John Higgins became the 28th Hawkesbury trainer to be successful this season when Our Celtic Star won at Sunday's meeting.

Higgins has only three horses in work.

Another Hawkesbury-trained runner carried a set of famous colours to victory at Scone last Friday.

Red Notice, trained by Jamie Thomsen, is raced by a syndicate headed by his father Bob, the former outstanding Randwick trainer who retired in 2012 with 25 G1 victories to his credit.

The gelding races in the colours of Bob Thomsen's outstanding sprinter Grey Receiver, winner of the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in 1982 and two editions of the G1 Galaxy at Randwick in 1981 and 1982.

Red Notice is partial to the big track at Scone, having raced four times there for two wins, a second and a fourth.

Thomsen has now won five races this season with 14 horses in work.

Hall Of Fame jockey and current trainer Malcolm Johnston left Cessnock on Monday much happier than when he rode there more than three decades ago.

Hawkesbury-based Johnston rode more than 2000 winners including 49 Group 1 wins in an outstanding career which took him to 11 countries before hanging up his saddle in 1995.

He turned to training and added another win to his record on Monday when he won the 2YO Maiden Handicap at Cessnock with first starter Billy Piu Style  (Chad Lever).

"I remember the late Paul Sutherland taking a couple of horses to Cessnock in the 1980s and he asked me to go and ride them," Johnston recalled.

"They all started favorite and all got beat. I had finished my apprenticeship and I'm pretty sure it was the only time I rode there."

Johnston, who has only eight horses in work at Hawkesbury, endured a frustrating run of minor placings between a success at Orange on April 19 2016 and a win at Wyong on June 6 this year and was delighted to get another on the board with debutant Billy Piu Style.

"I was going to trial him at Rosehill last Friday week, but they were washed out," Johnston explained. "He worked well in blinkers at home last week, and his previous couple of trials for me were good.

"I expected him to run well, but was concerned what might happen from an awkward alley.

"As it turned out, there was no need to worry."

Billy Piu Style, a gelded son of American-bred Wicked Style and Gilded Time mare Discord, never looked like losing once he took up the running.

Golden Creek and Billy Piu Style are two of five horses transferred to Johnston when fellow Hawkesbury trainer Tommy Wong incurred a 10-months' disqualification last December due to a swab irregularity. His term will conclude at the end of October.

"Billy Piu Style is a nice horse," Johnston said. "He's very quick and tough and I feel he can at least make provincial grade."

Johnston, 63 this year, rode the champion Kingston Town in 25 of his 30 wins.


Racing and Sports

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au