In-form Berry out to add to Group 1 haul

Fresh from his Queensland Oaks victory, Berry will bid to take his career tally of majors to 40 with a brace of Group 1 rides at Brisbane's marquee meeting of the carnival.

The top Sydney-based jockey, who captured last weekend's classic aboard You Wahng, will team up with the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Desert Lighting in the Stradbroke Handicap and Providence for Chris Waller in the J.J. Atkins.

With 10 wins from his past 50 rides, Berry is in fine form and hoping to keep that momentum rolling.

"At the end of the (Sydney autumn) carnival I had three weeks off with suspension which ended up being a nice little freshen up for the winter, especially when you're going up to Brisbane every week," Berry said.

"I haven't been riding at the provincials while I've been going up to Brisbane and I am staying fresh and feeling good."

Berry partnered Desert Lighting first-up when he wasn't disgraced in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick before the horse struggled on a testing track in the Doomben 10,000. 

He improved on a better surface to beat all but Stradbroke emergency Transatlantic last Saturday despite lumping 61kg and drops to 54.5kg.

"He had everything in his favour bar the weight last Saturday. That really weighed him down late," Berry said.

"There was a four-and-a-half kilo difference between him and the winner and he drops six-and-a-half kilos himself this week.

"He needed to draw a good alley to be competitive and that's what he's done (barrier one). He is a fit horse on the scene, he is ready to go and he'll perform well."

Berry will be having his first ride on Providence in the Atkins, the youngster backing up from a closing fourth behind Sunrays over 1500 metres last weekend.

"He looks like he will run the distance out, no problem, and when you're riding one for Waller in a J.J. (Atkins), your confidence goes through the roof because he knows what it takes to win one," he said. 

Berry has rides in eight of the nine races at Eagle Farm, including the Waller pair of Olentia in the Dane Ripper Stakes and Osipenko in the Q22.

Meanwhile, trainer Matthew Smith will have veteran True Marvel in the Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm and says his last start fourth in the Sandown Cup suggests he is on track for another strong showing.

"He is a nine-year-old but he's flying," Smith said.

"His run the other day was fantastic at Sandown. He ran fourth but he could have easily won, they just went slow."

"He has an amazing two-mile record. He has run second in a Sydney Cup (in 2023), he's run third in a Brisbane Cup (2023) and second in a Sandown Cup (2021)."