Jack Berry, Horse Trainer. Do you remember him?

As an avid supporter of two-year-old horse racing Jack Berry MBE was a trainer to follow. Very much a man of the moment and keen to take a new approach to horse training he made his own rules and his method was to fill his stable with mostly cheap juveniles and have them fit and ready from the first day of the Flat turf season. The old-school trainers had a more patient method so early season proved rich pickings for the man who was known for his lucky red shirt.

He was known as the ‘King of the two-year-olds’ thanks to his success with younger horses.

If there was one thing you could say about Berry he wasn’t afraid of hard work. And that even continued long after this training career ended with an emphasis on charity, specifically The Injured Jockey Fund.

One of the first horses I remember from the stable was Mind Games who made an impact in 1995 when winning the Brocklesby Stakes by a neck when ridden by John Carroll in the ownership of Robert Hughes. This son of Puissance was a great yearling purchase for just 18,000G, actually purchase by Berry. He raced 20 times over four seasons winning 7 times including the Norfolk Stakes (Group 3), Palace House Stakes (group 3) a race named in honour of one of Berry’s best sprinters [Palace House], Temple Stakes (Group 2) [‘easily’], and taking the same race the following year (1996). This out and out sprinter (5-6f) did just about everything bar win at Group 1 Class. He raced at the highest level 9 times with the best finishing position of 4th in the Nunthorpe Stakes (1996), losing by 2-lengths when 4/1f. If you want to bet on a horse now you can go to the 1xbet site.”

Mind Games went on to stand as a sire from 1997 – 2010. His stallion fee ranging from £1,500 – £3,500. From 2000 onwards he sired over 100 individual winners. The best of those Tangerine Trees who had 15 career wins.

However, Berry took out his trainer’s licence in 1969 and acheived over 1,500 winners and had a least 5 seasons where he trained over 100 winner.

Other noted horses includes:

Paris House
Rosselli
Sellhurstpark Flyer
Bolshoi

Jack Berry is as much associated with his charity work as he has for training winners. His tireless work with Jack Berry House for the Injured Jockey Fund has been inspiring. This Rehabilitation & Fitness Centre in Malton, North Yorkshire was opened in 2015 by HRH The Princess Royal.

He also helped raise money for Oaksey House.

Jack Berry was a jockey over the National Hunt and Flat. In fact he said he had 47 winners and broke 46 bones in his 16-year racing career. He said there wasn’t a part of his body that wasn’t injured at some stage of his racing career.

He was inspired to help the Injured Jockey Fund when Paddy Farrell was injured when riding Border Flight in the Grand National. Sadly, Berry’s son, Sam, aged 20, was paralysed when falling at Sedgefield Racecourse in 1985.

Berry will always be a man of the people, hard working, determined and associated with horse racing success on many levels.

As a human being his achievements are significant.