3 minute read
American President has put himself in contention for a stakes assignment.
Tommy Berry was happy he resisted the temptation to pull up stumps on American President when he wobbled around the home turn at Randwick with the horse regathering himself to score a spectacular win.
As he did at Canterbury last start, the three-year-old began to hang out badly around the home turn in Saturday's Grainshaker Vodka Handicap (1200m) and lost several lengths to be a distant last.
It caused some nervous moments for his supporters with the horse backed from $3.80 into $3.20 favouritism, before Berry was able to balance him up and get him to the better going near the outside fence.
Once there, the Greg Hickman-trained galloper surged, finishing so quickly he put 5-1/4 lengths on nearest rival Barossa Rosa ($10) with The Big Easy ($6.50) third.
"I was almost getting ready to pull him up," Berry said.
"When I let him go, he actually started to straighten up for me and turn around.
"It made me look good, but it wasn't the plan."
The beautifully named American President is by Starspangledbanner out of Whitehousewhispers and has now won four of his 10 starts, all on rain-affected ground.
Hickman isn't sure if he is purely a wet track specialist, but he hopes to give him a chance in better company and will consider backing him up in next Saturday's Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).
"We will have a look," Hickman said.
"He could just be a wet tracker. We've still got to tune things up with him a little bit.
"But he is going ahead in leaps and bounds and where we end up, I don't know."
"Not sure where American President's going, almost off to the Doncaster Hotel..."
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 23, 2022
A HUGE win from American President! @TommyBerry21 @HickmanRacing @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/QdCo2EhEJ0
