He promised to see his nan, Pat Berry, in Manning Hospital before the race and then show her his cup after the race.

Berry and his dad were cheered by a large group of relatives, mainly from the Manning district, after Hogmanay was given a peach of a ride by Tommy to give champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller his first Taree cup.

On hand to handle the syndicate of 19 owners was Richard Callander, son of former top turf journalist and head of the syndicate Kenny Callander, who said that seven-year-old Hogmanay would now head for the $160,000 Wyong Cup over 2100m on September 8, the win making the gelding exempt from ballot.

Richard said another part-owner, Australian cricketer Steve Smith, had kept in touch about his horse, even texting him after the vicious ball to the neck incident in the Second Test in England.

"He texted me six or seven times even after he had the injury."

Richard said his dad had been good for racing..."and there is nothing better than country racing."

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Berry always had Hogmanay travelling sweetly just behind the pace and gave it head entering the straight to score by just under a length from Newcastle trainer Kris Lees' Mongolian Wolf ($5), with a nose back to Port Macquarie gelding Cogliere ($20), trained by Marc Quinn, which is now being aimed towards the $200,000 Port Cup in early October.

Hogmanay cost $225,000 as a Lonhro youngster and the win was its seventh in 39 starts and took prizemoney to over $600,000.

Manning Valley Race Club chairman Gregory Coleman at the presentation paid tribute to Waller's support of the cup and that of Tim and Justin Stack for their sponsorship.

Berry said the track was a favourite of his, thanked the support of his extended family, and signalled out his father, John, by what he was wearing in the grandstand as he was too shy to be trackside.

(More to come)