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By Ray Hickson

He’s still a ‘work in progress’ but jockey Tommy Berry can see promising staying prospect Great House racing himself out of winter company at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Tommy Berry (Pic: Stave Hart)

The lightly raced four-year-old still comes with his tricks but Berry is well aware of what they are and he’s hoping things fall into place in the ACY Securities Handicap (1800m) for Great House to show what he’s made of.

Berry rode the gelding to a strong finishing fresh win back on June 5 but believes he was put out of his comfort zone at his last start when a close third behind Brutality.

“His best runs are when he’s on the bit, and when he is he has a devastating turn of foot especially for a stayer,’’ he said.

“They had him off the bit a long way out the other day and it probably told the tale late.

“I think he fits in really well third up and he’s a horse we’ve always had a lot of time for. He’s come in much more mature this preparation and I think he will relax a bit better with a couple of runs under his belt and I think Randwick is going to suit him as well.”

The presence of front-runners Canasta and Toryjoy in Saturday’s race tells Berry he’s in for a truly run contest and that can have its pluses and minuses.

If he can get Great House, $3.00 favourite with TAB on Thursday, to work with him then he’ll be confident of a positive result.

“You don’t want it run too genuine, he’s a horse that likes being on the bridle and if he’s off the bit a long way out it makes his task harder,’’ Berry said.

“Horses like Canasta and Toryjoy can spread fields out quite a bit and make it tough on the opposition to make up ground. I’d expect him to be around midfied from his good alley and it’s all about getting him to switch off.”

Great House, who has a comfortable win over another emerging stayer in Harpo Marx on his CV, is on the $26 line of all-in betting on the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) this spring.

Whether he heads that way remains to be seen but Berry said the horse is in the right stable with Chris Waller to have his chance.

“Chris can get long preparations out of his stayers, he manages them very well, but it’s up to this bloke how far he gets with his mental attitude,’’ he said.

“So far this prep it has been quite good. He’s in at the right time of year for a stayer going forward and if Chris wanted to head towards the spring with this guy he’ll know how to get him there.”

Another horse Berry describes as a work in progress is Hawkes Racing filly Eight Diamonds and he’s looking forward to seeing how she measures up in the Tax Today Handicap (1400m).

She was a dominant first-up winner at Canterbury on a heavy track back on June 23 and Berry would like to see the race run at a genuine tempo to give Eight Diamonds, $4.80 with TAB, every chance.

“First-up she can race fresh and go keen but the speed was on a bit the other day which helped her relax quite well,’’ he said.

“Gates are important for her to find cover and switch off but there’s a bit of speed in the race so she will get that speed on she needs. She has a great turn of foot and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her win.”

Great House runs third at Rosehill on June 26

Blondeau has been costly for punters since his first-up win at Gosford with three subsequent defeats but Berry warned not to jump off him yet as there’s a good chance he’ll get the right scenario in the Bowermans Commercial Furniture Handicap (1400m).

The gelding had to give away a big start when running on into fourth behind Mirra Vision at Rosehill three weeks ago but that may not be the case this time around from barrier two.

“Hopefully we can settle that little bit handier. He has a devastating turn of foot but it is only very short lived,’’ Berry said.

“A few starts ago when I rode him they really got on their bike before the corner and got him off the bit.

“He loomed but he reached his top by the furlong. People have him down as a bit of a non-trier some time but he needs races run so he can have that last crack at them.”

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