Tommy Berry had the coveted seat on "the best mare in Australia" at the start of the autumn carnival, but needs to pick up the pieces on Cosmic Endeavour in more ways than one in the $1 million Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
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Not only has good mate James McDonald had the pleasure of steering Cosmic Endeavour to her only group 1 success this autumn, Berry has also been forced to suffer through the four-year-old's form tapering since.
"Watching someone else win a group 1 on her was pretty hard to swallow, but you move on from that stuff pretty quickly," Berry said.
"I had the option to ride her, but I was already booked for another ride and I'm very loyal in that way. I don't get off horses once I've already been booked for them.
"When she first came in this preparation everyone was saying she's the best mare in Australia. Then they drop off her quick.
"You've got to remember this autumn we've got the best crop of horses covering all the races in a very long time. She's been up against some of the best of them."
The reason for the drop-off has stemmed from Cosmic Endeavour dropping out to finish last in the George Ryder Stakes with Berry up before Tim Clark could only steer her into a midfield finish in the Doncaster Mile on Monday.
But Berry, who won the Queen Of Turf with Cosmic Endeavour's stablemate Diamond Drille last year, has suggested the highlight for the fillies and mares on the second day of The Championships is more than a three-horse race.
Bookmakers have struggled to split the top three of First Seal ($3.40), Noble Protector ($3.50) and Catkins ($4.60) chasing the elusive major.
"They'll know she's there on Saturday," Berry said of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Cosmic Endeavour. "I think she's on par or even a grade above Diamond Drille.
"She's back to mares grade which she hasn't been for a few starts and she's up against horses like Catkins who is yet to win a group 1 and she's beaten in the past.
"This is the perfect race for her and if she didn't go to the Doncaster she was definitely going here anyway. The back-up is definitely not going to hurt her."
Berry has also picked up the ride on Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper placegetter Lake Geneva in the group 3 Percy Sykes after Perignon was scratched with a tendon injury.
Berry will replace Ryan Moore, who couldn't make the 54 kilograms allotted to Lake Geneva.
