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By Ray Hickson

Sydney’s champion apprentice Tom Sherry will be in very good company if he can claim his maiden Group 1 victory on Expat in Saturday’s $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill.

Apprentice Tom Sherry (Pic: Bradley Photos).

In the past decade three former champion apprentices have broken through at the top level in this very race – back in 2012 it was Kathy O’Hara on Ofcourseican, in 2016 Sam Clipperton rode Peeping to victory and in 2018 Andrew Adkins scored his first Group 1 on Daysee Doom.

That trio were all trained by Ron Quinton who has a small connection to Sherry’s mount Expat as the mare’s trainer Mark Newnham finished his apprenticeship under Quinton’s care.

Sherry gave quite a salute as Expat passed the line in front in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) three weeks ago so expect something bigger if they can do it again on Saturday.

“I’ve had a long campaign with her, rode her a lot last prep, and to get a Group 2 on a metropolitan track for the boss meant a lot,’’ Sherry said.

“I’ve had a couple of spins in Group 1s but none that I’ve been overly confident in my chances of winning.

“I’m confident in this mare’s ability and confident in the order she’s going into the race so it’s very exciting.”

Of course Sherry is no stranger to the big stage despite having just the two attempts at Group 1 level – who can forget his narrow second on Icebath in the $7.5m Golden Eagle in 2020, and that was long before he was crowned champion apprentice.

Expat ticks a lot of boxes for Sherry heading into the Group 1 – she’s proven at a mile so 1500m is no issue, she loves a wet track (four wins from five starts on heavy ground) and she’s drawn a middle gate.

In a typically wide market, she was $7.50 with TAB on Wednesday.

“She wears her heart on her sleeve and you know every time you throw your leg over she’s going to give you everything she’s got,’’ he said.

“She’s tough as nails, she does everything right. Puts herself on speed, gets into a beautiful rhythm and she doesn’t go down without a fight that’s for sure.

“There’s no knocks on her leading into Saturday. You can use her up early and once she gets there she switches off which is a bonus.”

Sherry is quick to point out that Expat’s Millie Fox win has stood up.

While only two mares have taken the Millie Fox-Coolmore Classic double, the latest being Daysee Doom in 2018, it’s hard to ignore that runner-up Belluci Babe and third placed Le Lude have both posted Group 3 wins since.

“The form out of the Millie Fox is very encouraging and probably the strongest leading into the race,’’ he said.

“They didn’t hand it to her, they made her work for it. I had to use a little more petrol than I initially wanted to in the early part of the race.

“Once she gets there she comes back underneath you and it’s a matter of holding on to her in the straight. You’re better off waiting for them to get to her tail or girth before asking for an effort, that’s when she’s at her best.”

Stayer Spirit Ridge resumes in the Group 3 $350,000 Furphy Sky High Stakes (2000m) and while Sherry concedes a heavy track isn’t his preferred surface he feels the gelding has come back in good shape.

Expat wins the Millie Fox at Rosehill

The seven-year-old has kicked off his past two preparations at 2000m and been narrowly beaten on both occasions including the corresponding race last year when nailed in the last stride by Toffee Tongue.

“His trial was very good a couple of weeks ago, he was doing his best work through the post and didn’t have blinkers on,’’ Sherry said.

“He’s probably not preferred on heavy ground but it’s a good race for him to start in.

"He’s in a good frame of mind, and moving very well, so if he does handle the track he’ll be in the mix.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting