Nathan Berry stars in Unencumbered win

By Mark Oberhardt

GOLD COAST, QLD, Jan 11 AAP - A sleep-deprived Nathan Berry stepped out of the shadow of his twin brother Tommy with a superb ride on Unencumbered to win the $2 million Magic Millions Classic on Saturday.

Nathan Berry set the Gold Coast crowd alight when he brought $3.20 favourite Unencumbered with a charging finish to beat Oakleigh Girl ($7) by three quarters of a length.

Ruby Soho ($17) was another 2-1/4 lengths away third in Queensland's richest race.

Tommy Berry, who has twice won the Magic Millions Classic, looked like he might again come away from the program with bragging rights when he rode an early treble on Saturday.

However, Nathan wrested the spotlight from his brother when he settled Unencumbered in the perfect position behind the pace before coming to the middle of the track to win.

At one stage he looked like being pushed back along the fence but worked away from possible disaster.

"I just kept screaming and was able to stay off," he said.

Nathan admitted he had trouble sleeping in the lead-up to the race.

"I had only a total of five hours sleep on Thursday and Friday nights. I was tossing and turning and I wish I had never done the form," he said.

"Every horse in the field was going through my head."

The 21-year-old jockey is bound for Singapore in March for a four-month stint but a wrench will be needed to get him off Unencumbered.

Trainer Bjorn Baker was quick to praise Berry who has ridden Unencumbered to all five of his career wins.

"Nathan is like the horse, he just gets better and better," Baker said.

"We will have to give Unencumbered a break now as he has had six starts. But we will have to look at the Golden Slipper in April."

Unencumbered is by Testa Rossa out of a More Than Ready mare and given he is a colt, his stud value would soar with a Slipper win.

Unencumbered's Magic Millions victory took his prize money to more than $1.7 million.

"Attitude, attitude. That has been the key with Unencumbered. He has just kept getting better and he has been so relaxed about it," Baker said.

Trainer Dan Bougoure was disappointed but not downcast after the effort of Oakleigh Girl.

"The winner was just too good today but she tried her heart out," Bougoure said.

Jockey Craig Newitt also saw merit in the performance.

"The winner was just too big and too strong but she has been up a long time and she has done a really good job," Newitt said.

Trainer Liam Birchley was thrilled with the run of Ruby Soho and her jockey Michael Rodd said she had the scope to taste success at the meeting next year.

"All she wants to do is settle and the Guineas next year will be ideal for her," Rodd said.