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Tommy Berry had no luck during Saturday’s The Hunter Raceday at Newcastle, however, it may be a different story at Tuesday’s Newcastle race meeting.
Tommy Berry will be aboard the last three favourites and has a good chance in another race.
The first of the popular jockey's well-fancied mounts is three-year-old Vegas Raider ($5) in the Kloster Motor Group Midway Benchmark 68 Handicap (900m).
The David Pfieffer-trained gelding was responsible for an outstanding performance to come from near last on the turn to win the $200,000 Inglis Challenge at Scone on Cup Day.
He was beaten 2.78 lengths at Randwick on June 11 and in his only other start Vegas Raider failed at Flemington.
A recent, quiet Randwick trial indicates the gelding is ready to win first-up.
In race six, the Jennings Print Maiden Handicap (1600m), Berry rides the $2.90 favourite Flexing for John O'Shea.
The three-year-old has only had two starts and at Goulburn on October 30 he looked home at the '200' only to be run down late. Flexing has drawn perfectly.
The winning "$2 million Five Diamond's" combination of Berry and Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou are back together in race seven, the Hunter Valley Premium Meats Maiden Plate (1200m), with $3.40 favourite Cappelletti.
The son of Capitalist failed in his only start at Warwick Farm on a Heavy 9 in June. He indicated he was ready to win first-up with a Hawkesbury trial win recently.
The meeting winds up with the Horsepower CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m), and O'Shea and Berry combine with the $3.80 favourite This'llbetheone.
The lightly raced four-year-old resumed from a spell at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, and after leading to well in the straight he finished third - 1.84 lengths from the winner. He will be fitter second-up.
Favourite backers should get off to a successful start thanks to the $2.10 chance Arale in the opening race, the Sharp Office F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).
The mare won two on the trot at Kembla and Hawkesbury in July and then went to the paddock. She cruised in a recent Randwick trial and Tom Sherry rides for the Snowden stable.
Kris Lees' mare Viennoiserie ($3.90) has been knocking on the door and she gets her chance to break through in The Prince Of Merewether Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1500m).
The five-year-old, bred and raced by Gerry Harvey was unlucky in her past two starts on this track. Last start she was held in a pocket late by the boom horse Floating and she was beaten three quarters of a length.
Floating confirmed the form with an easy win on Saturday. Viennoiserie will be ridden by Dylan Gibbons and has a perfect draw.
On the back up from an incredible day's racing on The Hunter Day on Saturday, this is a solid provincial meeting with the rail out 4m.
