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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Tommy Berry is hoping he can recreate whatever magic formula led to Trumbull’s breakthrough win when they pair up again at Rosehill on Saturday.

Jockey Tommy Berry (Pic: Steve Hart)

As much as Berry would like to take full credit for mending the gelding’s barrier yips he said it’s likely the more significant factor is the work trainer Kim Waugh has done behind the scenes than anything he did from the saddle and he just hopes Trumbull springs away again.

Trumbull’s impressive Civic Stakes win earned him favouritism, at $4 with TAB, for the Listed $150,000 KIA Winter Stakes (1400m) – a race Waugh won back in 2016 with Oxford Poet.

“I trotted him around a bit before we went in and then we were sitting in there for quite a while with a horse they were struggling to get in the gates,’’ Berry said of the Civic Stakes pre-race.

“Whether that made a difference I’m not sure but whatever it was hopefully the same works out on Saturday because it’s a massive advantage if he gets out of the gates.

“He’s very quiet in the gates which is why it’s a surprise he wasn’t jumping and the feedback from the other riders is that he’s very laid back and doesn’t do anything to cause him to miss the start but it’s a habit he got into.’’

Berry said he understands how frustrating it can be for owners and trainers to watch a horse miss the start and affect his chances as Trumbull had been doing.

The four-year-old continued his trend of running excellent sectionals in his Civic Stakes win, his last 600m was a solid 34.68 (Punter’s Intelligence) but he put the race away with a race best 11.19 between the 400m and 200m.

“It was a relief for everyone to see him jump and put himself in the race and that he was up to winning a race like that,’’ Berry said.

“The race maps really well for him and provided he jumps he should be able to settle in the first three or four again. I think he has the best turn of foot out of anything in the race and I don’t see why he couldn’t go on and do it again.’’

Godolphin three-year-old Kordia is a horse Berry is keen to get on the back of in the Iron Jack Handicap (1200m) after the gelding came off a year’s absence for a dominant first-up win.

Berry picked up the ride with James McDonald out suspended and it was one he was more than happy to accept.

“I was very taken by his win first-up and when I was offered the ride I didn’t need to think twice about taking it,’’ he said.

Trumbull wins the Civic Stakes at Rosehill on June 27

“Some wins just stick in the back of your mind and that was one of them. He looks above average.’’

Kordia is skipping a grade by tackling the Benchmark 88 event, he’s a 78 rater, but it’s a race that looks to including an amount of early speed that’s salivating for a backmarker.

In his first-up win Kordia ran 11.03 between the 400m and 200m and a last 200m of 11.62, both easily best of the race, and with the likelihood of more upside to come.

“He looked like he had a bit of improvement in the yard and I think Darren (Beadman) said after the race he hasn’t been screwed right down yet,’’ Berry said.

Berry will finish third in the Jockeys Premiership this season behind James McDonald and Nash Rawiller and is just three wins short of matching last year’s tally of 77 city wins.

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