Tommy Berry navigated a tricky path to guide No Compromise to victory in the G1 Metropolitan. Here’s what the jockeys said post race.
Tommy Berry (No Compromise – Winner)
“He was travelling really well early, got into a nice spot. The Freedman horse (Realm Of Flowers) outside me was just annoying me a little bit so I’m glad when he pressed on and got outside Stockman, it just got my bloke into a good rhythm. I was bolting coming to the corner and when James (McDonald – rider of second horse Le Don De Vie) shifted out in front of me I thought it was all over so he did an unbelievable job to pick himself up and get there. But Chris Waller, he’s just a freak isn’t he? Group 1 day and he’s here.”
“It’s amazing the wave of emotions that go through your body. Coming to the corner I just felt like the winner, I was just going through my gears. At the 200m there when James shifted out on my line I thought it was all over. Full credit to my bloke, he picked himself up well and I think I won the first couple of races when he came over to Australia, and it’s just really nice to get back on him.”
“I guess the thing with him, and Chris does it with all of his horses, he came over here quite a keen going horse and you saw him today butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. I had him standing up there behind the gates at the 600m mark and he was just looking around. You know the feeling, it’s like gee he’s in the zone this horse. From that moment on I thought I was on the right one.”
James McDonald (Le Don De Vie – 2nd)
“Good run. Very good run.”
Reece Jones (Realm Of Flowers – 3rd)
“She was terrific. Just from the tricky gate tried to get a spot which didn’t end up eventuating as others kicked up and held her deep. She was really really tough. It was a good stepping stone going forward.”
Sam Clipperton (Stockman – 4th)
“He hasn’t been beaten far. He’s run well but was just a little bit disappointed in him from the 600m when I really needed him as he didn’t quite pick up. Disappointing on that aspect but he’s been beaten 1.5L so hasn’t run too bad.”
Tim Clark (Sacramento – 5th)
“Much improved run. Has taken a bit of racing to get there but he has come good.”
Kerrin McEvoy (Durston – 6th)
“Great run. The ground went against him a little bit as did the slow tempo. He ran a good race.”
Andrew Adkins (Carif – 7th)
“I thought he ran super. Would have liked to have been covered up for another 100m. We had to do the donkey work to take the field up. Effort was huge to be beaten a length.”
Rachel King (Arapaho – 8th)
“He ran OK. Probably better on a better track and a better tempo as it was pretty steady.”
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Jason Collett (Mankayan – 9th)
“Just got left flat footed when they sprinted.”
Brenton Avdulla (Kukeracha – 10th)
“Had a lovely run in transit. Was on the back of the right horses before the bend but struggled so whether he is not handling these wet tracks.”
Winona Costin (Grove Ferry – 11th)
“Disappointing. Got a little bit keen three quarters of the way down the back straight and was left without a fighting finish.”
