Leading Sydney jockey Tommy Berry could not be happier with the condition of Overreach ahead of the Golden Slipper winners tilt at the major sprint races during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing.
Overreach will return to the races in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington on February 15. Photo by: Steve Hart
Overreach missed the entire 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, after failing to impress in two barrier trial appearances, but according to Berry has returned for her autumn campaign as a much stronger horse.
Berry was thrilled with way that Overreach performed when recording a comfortable victory in a barrier trial over 728 metres at Royal Randwick on January 3 and told Racing Ahead this morning that he can’t wait to partner the daughter of Exceed And Excel in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m), the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) during her autumn preparation.
“After her trial the other day I’m very excited with the way she’s come back and I think after missing the Spring Carnival it’s definitely a blessing for her,” Berry said.
“She’s come back much stronger and much more seasoned this preparation.”
Overreach made her racing debut with a second place finish behind Villa Verde in the Listed Debutants Stakes at Caulfield on October 17 in 2012 and stamped herself as a Golden Slipper contender with a dominant victory when resuming in the Listed Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 16 last year.
The talented filly recorded another comfortable win in the Group 2 Moet & Chandon Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 23 before taking out the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) on April 6, but ended her campaign with a third place finish behind Guelph in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick a week later.
Berry has ridden Overreach in all but her maiden career start and will partner the three-year-old during the Melbourne Festival Of Racing before returning home for the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
At the conclusion of Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival on April 26 Berry, along with Hugh Bowman, will take up a three month contract in Hong Kong where he will ride against the likes of Australian ex-pat Zac Purton and champion jockey Douglas Whyte.
Berry has previously recorded Group 1 wins in New South Wales, Hong Kong and Singapore but is still chasing his first ever victory at the highest level of racing in Victoria.
