Image © Healy Racing
The Berry family were the toast of their local supporters at Lingstown with the uncle and nephew combination of Darragh and Josh Berry proving to be the partnership with a famous double at their local venue.
The Berry family were the toast of their local supporters at Lingstown with the uncle and nephew combination of Darragh and Josh Berry proving to be the partnership with a famous double at their local venue.
The day began particularly strongly when the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden went their way courtesy of a dominant Elderflower Tonic.
A fourteenth winner in the sphere, and sixth of the season for his sire, the Castle Hyde Stud-resident Maxios, the Susan Bredin-bred bay was one of two horses to go clear rounding the home bend.
However, her nearest pursuer, the well-backed favourite, Five Shiros, was soon playing second fiddle to Elderflower Tonic who powered clear to win by ten lengths to kickstart a first ever double for her 21-year-old winning rider.
“She ran well the first day, but the ground was a bit too quick for her that day. Josh knows her and she is a good tough lady, so I just said to him to ride her as you find her,” Darragh Berry reported.
“She is a good auld mare and even on softer ground again she’ll come to the fore.
“I bought her as a foal privately and she is owned by my partner Josephine and a couple of others.
“She’ll go to the sales now.
That was the first horse that Berry has saddled since Anyoneforsnacks triumphed at Ballindenisk in May, and he continued his 100% strike rate for the season when Expensive Emotion landed the five-year-old mares’ maiden.
A €16,000 purchase from the Tattersalls Ireland May Store sale, the Order Of St George mare had pulled-up on her debut at Stowlin in the spring, but she was an altogether different proposition on her second career start as she justified her position as the even-money favourite to defeat the more experienced and previously placed Star Cave by three lengths, and she too is also likely to be offered for sale now.
“We always thought an awful lot of her, she jumps unbelievably well,” Berry explained.
“Josh has been waiting to ride her for two years. He was injured when she ran the first time and Derek [O’Connor] rode her that day. She damaged her muscles there and Derek looked after her well, he knew something wasn’t right.
“We were waiting for Lingstown with her. It’s a big galloping track and we knew she’d love it. It’s nice when a plan comes together, it doesn’t often.
“It’s nice to have a double at the home track and it’s lovely for Josh as well, as it’s his first double.”
