WARWICK FARM horseman Paul Cave has rewarded Nathan Berry for dedication with the ride on German Chocolate in Saturday's Villiers Stakes at Randwick.
The trainer has had a long association with the 3kg-claiming apprentice and while the allowance will not be used in the group 2 race, Cave is more than happy to put Berry on. "They [Berry and brother Tom] ride well and work hard," he said. "They were riding cross-country with me when they were nine. They did it for three or four years. They've grown up around horses and will make it."
German Chocolate is coming off a last-start sixth in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill behind Villiers rival Voice Commander. "He got galloped on the other day," Cave said. "Luckily it was up high. He had a couple of days in the paddock and it has healed up well. I'm happy with the way he has worked, he galloped good the other day."
Schofield suffers
Form jockey Glyn Schofield is set to punish the body in a bid to ride Synonym at 52.5 kilograms in the Villiers Stakes.
"No eating and a lot of work," Schofield said. "I give him a good chance, I think he'll improve a length or two on his last run."
Schofield has four rides at Randwick with Koblenz awaiting in the Inglis Sydney Classic Sale Feb 8-10 Handicap.
Koblenz is coming off a debut second in a Magic Millions race at Wyong with Schofield taking over from the suspended Corey Brown.
"It was a nice effort and there will be natural improvement," Schofield said.
In the UD Trucks Handicap Schofield rides consistent galloper Hussenreign. "He is an honest little fellow and always gives his best and he is better suited with a lighter weight," Schofield said.
In the final event Schofield rides Hussenreign's stablemate Royal Esprit, which is coming off a first-up second behind Black Prince at Rosehill a fortnight ago.
"Before he went out he was in the best form of his life and he has come back good," Schofield said. "Hopefully he can go right on with it."
Sam's back
Superstar filly Samantha Miss has returned to the Newcastle stable of Kris Lees. Having cleaned up the Princess Series in Sydney earlier in the spring, Samantha Miss finished third in the Cox Plate before thumping rivals in the VRC Oaks. It was then off to the paddock for a rest.
"I'm very happy with her and she'll kick-off in the Light Fingers Stakes on February 14," Lees said.
The trainer hasn't ruled out running the three-year-old in the AJC Australian Derby and Oaks.
Lees heads to Randwick on Saturday with Ugly Betty running in the International Passport Day 26 Dec Handicap. "The track was a bit hard first-up and she didn't let down," Lees said. "She has improved."
No charity
Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman's bid to have a $1000 fine dispatched to charity was knocked back on Thursday. Freedman was fined for presenting Discorsi to trial at Geelong in September with the banned anti-inflammatory Flunixin in its system. Freedman explained it was a stable mix-up with a galloper named Argonaut treated with the substance in the box Discorsi subsequently ended up in.
The Victoria-based Freedman will start juveniles Fast Talker and Tariks in Saturday's Inglis Sydney Classic Sale Feb 8-10 at Randwick.
Perry fronts up
Newcastle trainer Paul Perry will face Victoria's Racing Appeals and Disciplinary board. On Thursday, Perry was charged with taking El Zegri to the Moonee Valley meeting on October 28 with a TCO2 concentration exceeding the permitted threshold. El Zegri was tested pre-race and scratched from the Australia Flying Handicap.