Berry to test the summer carnival waters

By Mandy Cottell 

Top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry has secured a handy book of rides at Doomben, led by Caballus in the feature race.

Talented sprinter Caballus is the drawcard that has lured Berry to Brisbane this weekend, but he is also looking forward to testing the Magic Millions credentials of a well-bred colt.

Berry is keen to reunite with the Bjorn Baker-trained Caballus.

He partnered Caballus to a stakes win at Flemington two starts ago ahead of the gelding's unplaced effort behind Giga Kick on a seven-day back-up into the Champions Sprint.

He has since been freshened and Berry expects him to be hard to beat in Saturday's George Moore Stakes, although he is wary of rival Hidden Wealth, who is a horse he also knows well.

"The team is very happy with him at home and I was rapt with him on Derby Day," Berry said of Caballus.

"He is the quality horse in the race, but I'm fully aware of what Hidden Wealth can do after winning the QTIS Magic Millions race on him last year. I've won three out of five rides on him, so I know how good he is and he's drawn the plum gate in one.

"We've got to overcome a tricky alley but he's a class horse and hopefully class can overcome that."

Berry is also upbeat about the Chris Waller-trained Snitska, who is a $620,000 Magic Millions yearling by Snitzel out of two-time Group champion Miss Siska.

He makes his debut in the Phelan Ready but has shaped well in two Gold Coast trials and the reports from the stable have been positive.

"He looks readymade when it comes to a two-year-old," Berry said.

"He has a lovely cruising speed and I know the team has a good opinion of him."

Berry's seven mounts also include Sylph for Michael Freedman in the Mode Stakes.

The lightly-raced filly earns a trip to Queensland after finishing second at Canterbury first-up when she hit a flat spot on the corner but closed again late.

She has shown good ability in her work and Berry is confident a win isn't far away.

"If she turns up showing us what she has shown us at home, and not so much what she has shown at the races thus far, she will be right in it," he said.