3 minute read
It’s a coincidence that we haven’t seen leading apprentice Tom Sherry or promising sprinter I Am Power for seven weeks but the pair seem to have some kind of cosmic link.
Tom Sherry was involved in I Am Power's education and strapped him as a two-year-old in 2017 in Ireland, when prepared by Michael O'Callaghan, before he was sold to Hong Kong and eventually landed with trainer Mark Newnham. And under saddle with Sherry.
The 22-year-old still marvels and how small the world is and is looking forward to making his comeback from a broken wrist at Randwick on Saturday and to again partner the gelding in the Heineken Handicap (1200m).
"It's a good story and it was crazy because I walked through Mark's barn one day and saw (I Am Power's) head over the stall and recognised him,'' Sherry said.
"I asked if he came from Ireland and Mark said he came from Hong Kong but of course originally he was from Ireland."
Newnham has been marking time with I Am Power since he won at Rosehill on May 22, with Sherry in the saddle, and because he's based at the trainer's Warwick Farm stables the apprentice hasn't seen a whole lot of the horse since that win.
"When I asked him why he hasn't run he said there weren't any suitable races,'' Sherry said.
"He was torn between running in the Ramornie or Saturday so lucky for me he's gone for Saturday and put me on him.
"His first-up run was really good at Gosford and I thought his win at Rosehill was even better."
Sherry's claim will mean I Am Power, $4.40 favourite with TAB on Thursday, will carry 56kg and he has his fingers crossed Randwick doesn't receive too much rain ahead of the meeting.
He's adamant a soft track is no issue but would be a little concerned if we're well into the heavy range. Otherwise, he's a horse he knows he can ride confidently.
"He improved a lot from that first-up run, it's hard for a horse to maintain a high speed while chasing a runaway leader,'' Sherry said.
"I think it was a solid win. It's a little concerning when there's seven weeks between runs but he has had a tickover trial. Soft range is fine for him but I wouldn't want it to turn up too heavy.
"He feels as though he would be better on a drier surface. He has a really good turn of foot and once you get him in his comfort zone and travelling he lets down strongly.
"You're never going to be worried where you are once he's comfortable."
Sherry is making a low key return to the saddle with just two rides at Randwick, the first being Lancaster Bomber in the Geohex Sprint (1100m), as he only returned to trackwork on Monday.
At the end of the month he'll be crowned Sydney's Champion Apprentice, he sits on 38 city wins for the season but has conceded he won't reach the half century.
"Fifty is out of range but looking back I've achieved a lot and I'm grateful for the opportunities I've got,'' he said.
"Because we're not going to reach 50 by the end of the season there's no need to rush back and easing back into it is the best thing. I wouldn't like to show up to the races and not perform to the best of my ability for trainers."
