Berry The Cash too tough in Hastings Hurdle feature

[Wandering Eyes]

They say weight can stop a train and for most of the 3100m of Saturday’s Te Whangai Romneys Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m) that adage looked to be uncomfortably true for punters who backed red hot favourite Berry The Cash (NZ) (Jakkalberry) into a starting price of just $1.20 in the prestige jumping feature.

Shooting for his fourth win in a row, the seven-year-old son of Jakkalberry took the first two fences on the journey awkwardly before finding his rhythm for rider Portia Matthews.

Matthews didn’t panic and had him nicely situated one out with 1200m left to run, but just as he looked to be cruising into contention, local galloper Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) shot to the lead and put further pressure on the Mark Oulaghan-trained runner and the rest of the seven-horse field.

Berry The Cash chased gamely into the home straight where he levelled with Taika over the last fence and in a tooth and nail struggle to the line prevailed by a head over a brave Taika with Smug (NZ) (Complacent) running on late to claim third.

Matthews, who brought up her sixth victory aboard her mount, was full of praise for the effort under the topweight of 72.5kgs.

“He was possibly a little bit fresh and jumping a little high, but it never worries me,” Matthews said.

“He is not always the most fluid jumper so I just have to stay with him and help him as much as I can.

“He definitely felt the weight today as it took a lot to get him going, however he is such a tough horse and when we came around the corner and I started to gain (on Taika) I knew we could get there.

“Weight will stop a train, but it won’t stop Berry The Cash.”

Oulaghan was pleased with the result as he praised the toughness of his charge.

“He is a good horse but was very short (on the tote) for a jumping race,” he said.

“There wasn’t a big margin in it, but he got there.

“It takes him awhile to get into his rhythm, but he seems to be able to tough it out and I guess he had to today.”

Raced by a group that includes Oulaghan, Berry The Cash is out of the unraced High Yield mare Likely Story with his extended family including a host of American stakes winners including Lure who won the Breeders’ Cup Mile (1600m) on two occasions.

He has now won seven of his 28 starts including five over hurdles and in excess of $226,000 in prizemoney.

The victory also extended Matthews’ lead atop the Jump Jockey’s Premiership with 11 wins, three ahead of Shaun Fannin.

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