Tommy Berry, who will ride Golden Rose favourite Vancouver in a couple of weeks, will be out to throw a spanner into the preparations of his main rivals when he jumps on Redzel in the Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday.
Gai Waterhouse opted not to have the run at 1200m with the Golden Slipper winner on Saturday, leaving Berry free ro ride Redzel against the next three in betting for the Golden Rose, Japonisme, Press Statement and Exosphere, which will be having their final tune-ups for the group 1 on September 13.
Redzel was disappointing first-up in the San Domenico Stakes, won by Japonisme, when he overraced in the middle stages and dropped out to run fifth. However Berry expects a different approach could see a change of fortune on Saturday.
"It looks a really competitive race with Press Statement, being a group 1 winner, obviously the class runner. Japonisme has been going great and not many win four in a row," Berry said in summing up his opposition.
But he then added: "We are going to be more positive on Redzel. They tried to hold him up last time and he got going too hard. I think if I don't lead I will be right there and the main chances are all going to settle a bit further back and have to run past me. Redzel has good ability and we are going to find out a bit more about him after this race."
Redzel has a victory over Japonisme, which is the $2.45 favourite on Saturday, on debut and is part of a book that Berry describes as "full of chances".
"He is pretty typical of my day. He is the sort of horse that could win if things go his way and you wouldn't be surprised," Berry said.
"I have had better books in the past couple of weeks and came home with nothing. But [on Saturday] I could have a couple [of] winners if things go right. I think His Majesty is probably my best ride."
His Majesty has risen through the grades with a couple of wins since coming to Australia and has been nominated for next month's Epsom Handicap. He didn't have the best of luck when second to Start Wondering a fortnight ago and Berry is expecting to make amends.
"He just gives me the feel of a horse that is going to appreciate getting over more ground," Berry said. "He doesn't like having his momentum stopped and that's what happened last time and it took him a while to get going again.
"I know they have a bit of opinion about Start Wondering, so to run him to a neck was a great effort and I think he will be right in the finish again [on Saturday]."
The build-up to the spring continues at Rosehill with First Seal, which had to be scratched from the Warwick Stakes last week, to work between races with stablemate Hooked.
