Tommy shares his elation with the world as Apocalyptic cruises home in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The Michael Freedman/ Tommy Berry partnership has been a major talking point in the early weeks of the Sydney spring carnival. Their hot streak began on September 6th when towering filly Apocalyptic escaped a pocket to score an impressive first up win in the Gr 2 Furious Stakes at Randwick. Two weeks later the long striding filly stepped up to 1400m and was arrogant in winning the Gr 2 Tea Rose Stakes after a three wide run. On September 27th the trainer/ jockey duo headlined the Rosehill card with a stakes double - Marhoona in the listed Heritage Stakes and Manaal in the Gr 2 Golden Pendant. Things were to get even better on Epsom day at Royal Randwick.

The in form duo combined to win the historic Breeders’ Plate with Incognito, a member of Stay Inside’s first racing crop. Running on pure instinct at the moment, the precocious colt dashed to win easily at the 200m before wondering where the hell he was and switching off momentarily. Thankfully he responded to Berry’s wake up call and just held off the well tried I’m Ya Huckleberry. Freedman and Berry Incorporated produced its showstopper a few races later when the big girl with the tongue twisting name gained her Gr 1 accreditation in the highly prized Flight Stakes. Berry pulled the right rein early in the race when he made the decision to ride Apocalyptic like a good thing. The hulking filly travelled generously outside leader Reflect before hitting the line with great gusto to give jockey Berry a milestone 40th win at the elite level.

The big girl Apocalyptic has proven superior to other 3YO fillies in three legs of the Princess Series. On Saturday she easily accounted for Within The Law and Karinska - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The Freedman/Berry association began exactly twelve years ago on foreign soil. They met for the first time at Kranji Racecourse only a few hours before the running of the 2013 Singapore Gold Cup. Michael had already established himself in the Singapore training ranks, while Tommy was enjoying a stellar run on Sydney tracks with strong backing from the Waterhouse stable. Just seven months earlier the popular jockey had made a massive statement on the international stage with a Hong Kong QE11 Cup win on Military Attack for the John Moore stable.

When Michael Freedman’s UK bred four year old Tropaios received only 51kgs in the Singapore Gold Cup, the astute trainer immediately began a search for a proven big race jockey capable of making the limit weight. “I was just 22 and riding at a very light weight at the time,” said Tommy. “I can’t recall exactly how the arrangement was made, but I was invited to ride Tropaios and decided to grab the opportunity even though it would mean a hectic few days.

“I rode in five or six races at Rosehill on the Saturday without a winner and then rushed to the airport to catch a night flight to Singapore. I had very little sleep before turning up at Kranji on the Sunday evening where an exciting experience awaited me. I was able to win an early race for Michael on a horse called Rite Of Spring and that put me in the right mood for the big race.”

Tropaios was raced by the China Horse Club who were establishing a presence in several countries at the time and had not long opened a Singapore operation with Michael Freedman at the helm. “The China Horse Club were an emerging force in international racing at the time, and a feature win at Kranji got them away to a great start in Singapore,” said Tom. “My original plan was to go back from a wide gate and look for inside runs from the 800m. There was rain during the meeting and by the time the Cup came around the track was chopping up a bit near the fence. I decided to stay in the running line and wait until we straightened to pop the question. Tropaios really dashed when I pulled him out and I thought he was going to round them up quickly, but he suddenly hit a flat spot. Happily he got going again and was too strong in the last bit, defeating Orakei Korako and Dragonfly.”

Tropaios, in the distinctive China Horse Club colours came from well back to win the 2013 Singapore Gold Cup - the first of several features for the Freedman/Berry partnership.

Obviously Tommy was pretty chuffed, but only half as much as Michael who described it as his greatest thrill in racing. Suffice to say a few subsequent Australian wins at the elite level have changed that assessment. Michael didn’t allow Tom to get away without offering him the opportunity to return as the stable’s number one rider. Although tempted, the jockey was reluctant to leave Sydney where his opportunities were plentiful including ongoing support from the Waterhouse stable. Freedman was more than interested when Tom recommended his twin brother Nathan as a likely substitute. This is where the story took a bizarre twist.

Nathan jumped at the opportunity to ride for a very progressive Singapore stable on a four month contract. Married just a couple of months earlier to Whitney Schofield, the young jockey felt the time was right to broaden his horizons. He’d ridden over 350 winners at home including the Magic Millions Classic on Unencumbered for Bjorn Baker. His obvious talents and a very amiable disposition had endeared him to all sections of the Sydney racing world and he was about to engender a similar image in the island city. Just a few weeks after joining the Freedman stable Nathan announced his arrival with a stunning Kranji treble. Local trainers quickly embraced him as yet another top rider from Australia.

Nathan was the first to congratulate brother Tom after his Golden Slipper win on Overreach. Is it any wonder Sydney racing people had difficulty in telling them apart - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Just a few days later onlookers were stunned when Nathan collapsed during a Kranji trackwork session. Doctors at the Singapore General Hospital initially diagnosed viral encephalitis and were deeply concerned about his condition. In a dramatic move the medical team made the decision to put Nathan into an induced coma and have him flown to Sydney on an emergency medical flight. Doctors at Royal North Shore Hospital changed the diagnosis to Norse syndrome, a much more serious condition related to epilepsy. Nathan Berry’s passing on April 3rd 2014, devastated his family and deeply saddened all sections of the racing industry around Australia.

The circumstances of this tragedy played a major part in the forging of a special relationship between Tommy and Michael Freedman who’s now running a busy and highly successful training operation at Royal Randwick. Michael was in partnership with brother Richard, and Tommy Berry was the jockey when a precocious two year old called Stay Inside dominated the 2021 Golden Slipper winning easily from budding superstar Anamoe and Ingratiating.

Michael and Richard Freedman with Tommy Berry after Stay Inside's easy Slipper win in 2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Michael won that Slipper in tandem with Richard but did the job himself this year when successful with Marhoona. Damian Lane had a stroke of luck in picking up the Marhoona ride when Berry elected to ride the unplaced Quietly Arrogant for the Snowden stable. Tommy Berry’s win on Stay Inside was his third in the great race, after Overreach in 2013 and Vancouver two years later. Tom says riding for the Michael Freedman stable is akin to riding for family. “It all started when I accepted his kind invitation to ride Tropaios in Singapore,” Tom recalled. “Michael became very fond of Nathan in their short time together and offered great support during the family grieving process after my brother’s passing. He’s a great friend and a wonderful trainer. I get a big kick out of every win we have together.”

Tom Berry’s popularity with Sydney trainers doesn’t come without reciprocal input. The thirty four year old is at Chris Waller’s disposal every Monday morning but on Tuesdays he ventures to Randwick where he works horses for Michael Freedman, Peter Snowden, O’Shea/Charlton and Anthony Freedman. It’s not unusual for him to ride a dozen horses on the day. Thursdays it’s back to Rosehill for the Waller stable while on Friday mornings he’s a regular at the jump-outs.

Tommy approaches the remainder of the spring season in a good frame of mind with some classy horseflesh awaiting his services. He’s not certain of Michael’s plans for the exciting Apocalyptic but he does know that Marhoona will tackle next Saturday’s Roman Consul Stakes before a possible tilt at the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Victoria Derby day. He’s looking forward to being on one of his favourites Gringotts in the King Charles Stakes on Everest day. Wins in the Big Dance, The Gong and the Gr1 George Ryder Stakes have obviously endeared the jockey to the Ciaron Maher trained six year old gelding. The Silver Eagle, the Golden Eagle and The Invitation are all on the table for Marhoona, but Tommy is unsure of Freedman’s plans at this stage.

One of Tommy Berry's forty Gr. 1 wins. He gets Gringotts home narrowly in this years George Ryder Stakes from Fangirl and Ceolwulf - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Despite more than his share of personal setbacks, Tommy Berry has tried hard not to bring his troubles to work. He’s always pleasant, unfailingly polite and a true friend to all sections of the media. For some years he’s been a “go-to” jockey whenever Racing NSW or the Australian Turf Club require assistance with a promotional initiative. He’s the first to admit the racing game has been very good to him. You’d be lucky to find a person in Sydney racing who doesn’t agree the Berry boy has reciprocated in spades.

THE FREEDMAN AND BERRY SHOW ROLLS ON

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