Jockey Tommy Berry belongs to an elite group, having won the race that every owner, trainer, and jockey in Hong Kong dreams of winning: the Hong Kong Derby.
In the 2014 Hong Kong Derby, trainer John Moore’s high class stablemates delivered a finish for the ages, with Berry aboard Designs On Rome, outstaying Joao Moreira’s mount, Able Friend.
On this week’s episode of new podcast The Race, Berry speaks with Idol Horse’s Andrew Le Jeune, taking us behind the scenes to share what it was like winning the Derby and, for the first time, opening up about ‘the one that got away.’
“I hadn’t ridden in the Derby before, it was a different sort of pressure,” said Berry. “The pressure felt like it was on from the start.
“He (Designs On Rome) was travelling fine but never on the bit. It was up to me: do I make that run any earlier? Do I wait like I did in the Classic Cup and make it around the 700-metre mark?”
Having made his sweeping move on Designs On Rome as Able Friend was shuffled back to last, Berry recalled that he had the big chestnut right where he wanted him.
“At the 500 I was like ‘there’s no way he’s getting through there’… There was a wall of horses in front of him (but) Joao doing Joao things, (he) just weaved his magic.”
As Moreira manufactured the miracle run through the field on Able Friend, the pair eventually locked eyes at the 250-metre mark and proceeded to fight out a thrilling finish.
“I always knew with Designs On Rome, that when I would pull the stick from left to right, I always had one or two more lengths left. Once I pulled the stick into the right hand, he just went into another gear, and the rest is history.”
The Designs On Rome steer was undoubtedly one of the most brilliantly executed big race rides in Berry’s career, but what about the opposite end of the spectrum?
When queried if there was a particular race that still keeps him up at night, Berry nominated Werther in the 2017 G1 Hong Kong Cup, recalling his haunting second-place finish behind Zac Purton on Time Warp.
“He should have bolted in that day. I remember going upstairs to the jockey’s room and laying down on one of the day beds, and I didn’t move for about 20 to 25 minutes. It was probably the sickest I’ve ever felt on a race track, and one that just eats me up alive.”
