Berry rides first winner as a professional Ross Berry registered a first winner as a professional jockey today, landing Limerick’s Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle on the Martin Hassett-trained Siege Ofdjaotville (25/1). Debuting in handicaps, the five-year-old gelding arrived from mid-field to lead at the last, and held runner-up The Nagger Reidy by 1.75 lengths. Berry, 22 year old son of former leading amateur jockey John Berry, reported “it’s nice to get my first winner as a professional as it’s taken a while but I’ve had seven as an amateur. The race suited when we went a good gallop and we thought he might need three miles. I had a nice position, was happy everywhere and things opened up for me and he galloped well to the line. Trainer Hassett added “Ross is a grand quiet chap but when he comes in to the yard, you know that he’s not talking gibberish and I’m delighted with him. His 7lb claim is like stealing candy from a baby!” Regarding Siege Ofjadotville, he mentioned “the penny only dropped today.” The siege of Jadotville in the Congo in 1961 saw a United Nations operation being besieged at their base, with five Irish soldiers wounded.
