3 months ago
21
By Craig Kerry
November 27, 2025 — 5.00pm
Tom Sherry grew up riding in Ireland and says he was a horse lover long before he wanted to be a jockey. So the death of a horse in a fall he was suspended a month for causing was hard for him to take.
Tom Sherry after winning the Hot Danish Stakes on Artic Glamour at Rosehill on November 8.Credit: Getty Images
The 27-year-old, though, has used the time away to refresh and lay the platform for a successful return he hopes to build on with a solid book of rides at Rosehill on Saturday.
Sherry, the champion Sydney apprentice in 2020-21, wanted to capitalise this season on a maiden group 1 win on Peter Snowden-trained Tashi in the Tatts Tiara in June, but those hopes were dealt a blow on August 30 in the Up And Coming Stakes. He won the group 3 on Grand Prairie but was outed for his part in Dylan Gibbons-ridden Tyreek’s fall through the inside rail. Gibbons escaped with minor scrapes but Tyreek was later euthanised because of his injuries.
Sherry dealt with plenty of criticism, accepted his ban and reached out to Gibbons and the connections of Tyreek before taking time away to reset.
“I was very fortunate that Dylan was OK, but unfortunately the horse wasn’t, which is hard to take,” Sherry said.
“We do what we do because we love the animal, we love the game. I was a horse lover before I wanted to be a jockey, so it’s never something intended by any of us.
“I was lucky enough to have a good break, step away from it for a couple of weeks, so I came back in a good headspace.”
Tom Sherry after completing a treble at Rosehill on November 8.Credit: Getty Images
The incident had the potential to stall Sherry’s career, but he has returned in top form. Despite missing a quarter of the season so far, Sherry has racked up 24 winners in NSW at a strike rate of 21.6 per cent, including 11 in town at 16.2. He is keen to maintain the momentum.
“The break has done me the world of good mentally. It’s probably the first break I’ve had in four years,” he said.
“It’s not the circumstances you want, but I made the most of my time off. I’m feeling good and riding well. I was champion apprentice with Mark Newnham, but when Mark went to Hong Kong, it just took me a little bit of time to find a new base.
“Peter [Snowden] has given me plenty of opportunities, so riding plenty of winners for him and winning the group 1 has just made connections a bit easier. Obviously, the Archibalds [Annabel and Rob] have been fantastic to me as well and it’s just a lot of trainers giving me a lot of support.
“It’s just about a bit of consistency now. It’s important, especially riding in Sydney, you need a good base and I think I’ve found that now.”
His recent success included a treble at Rosehill on November 8 highlighted by victory on long-shot Artic Glamour in the group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m). He is aboard the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained mare in the group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) on Saturday but the $9 (TAB) chance has to contend with a draw in 19.
“We have a really sticky barrier, which doesn’t make it easy, but she showed good gate speed last start and she’s going to have to show it again to get across,” Sherry said.
He was to ride Zealously in The Warra last Saturday at Kembla, but Snowden scratched him because of the heavy track. Sherry was already booked for Richard Litt-trained Romeo’s Choice ($19) in Saturday’s listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, which now features Zealously ($4).
“I think the draw is definitely beneficial to Romeo’s Choice,” Sherry said of gate four.
“Zealously is going really well, he’s the horse to beat in the race, but from the barrier, at least we’ll get the run of the race and hopefully be a bit stronger late.
“He can sit off them. He’s got a high cruising speed, but his asset is he’s quite strong when you go for him. He’ll run well.”
He partners Redstone Well ($19), third in the Rosehill Cup, for the Archibalds in the listed ATC Cup.
“He’s a tricky horse to catch, but when things go right for him and he can control it, when it’s not a sit and sprint,” he said.
“He’s more of a one-pace horse, but he can maintain a high cruising speed, which gets a lot of them off the bridle over that trip.”
He also hopes to extend the streaks of Maid Of Moolah (race 10) and Luskaire (four), which have won three and four on the bounce respectively.
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