By Alan Carasso
Jockey Tommy Berry, who has ridden the likes of Designs On Rome (Ire), Military Attack (Ire) and Helene Paragon (Fr) to feature-race victories for trainer John Moore on frequent visits to Hong Kong, will become the retained rider for the stable, it was confirmed Friday when the licensing committee of the Hong Kong Jockey Club sanctioned the move.
“Basing myself permanently in Hong Kong hadn't been a priority of mine but I've got a great association with John Moore and he has been keen for me to come over and be his stable jockey,” Berry told Racing.com. “I've got a young family and I had a think about things and thought the timing was right to make the move now and give it a shot full-time in Hong Kong. Riding in Sydney is demanding on your time, I haven't spent a lot of time with my family over the past 12 months because whenever I've had days off, I've been flying interstate or going to Hong Kong to ride. So by going to Hong Kong full-time, I will be riding two days a week and it gives me a chance to have more of a life with my family.”
Berry, now 26, had considered a similar move in recent years, but a variety of circumstances led to him ultimately putting the idea on the back burner.
“When John Moore first asked me in 2012, I felt I was too young to move to Hong Kong,” Berry told Australia's Daily Telegraph. “Then he asked me again the following year but [twin brother] Nathan had just passed away and I didn't want to leave my family. There has always been something holding me back but now I believe the time is right to go to Hong Kong.”
Despite all the success for the Moore barn, arguably Berry's greatest Hong Kong success came via Chauatauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) in the 2016 G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize. A permanent relocation to Hong Kong could impact his future relationship with that champion, but Berry told the Daily Telegraph that he made the decision to go to Hong Kong with the blessing of Team Hawkes.
“[Co-trainer] John [Hawkes] said this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he basically pushed me out the door,” Berry told the publication. “But the Hawkes team have been such great supporters of mine and I felt I owed it to John, Michael and Wayne to talk it over with them.”
Berry will continue to ride in Sydney through mid-August.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
