Darryl Sherer
Nikita Beriman’s enthusiasm for next week’s Winter Championship Final at Flemington increased on Saturday.
The Group 1-winning jockey saw My Paisann announce himself a genuine contender for the $150,000 Listed event with an impressive win at Caulfield.
The New Zealand recruit, who is prepared by Lisa Enright at Mornington, scored a last-stride win in the $100,000 SECUREcorp Handicap (1400m).
“The Grand Final is next week, so this was an added bonus,” Beriman said.
“I actually went down and galloped this horse on Wednesday and was rewarded with the ride today, so I’m happy to stay on board.”
The son of Roc de Cambes took his record to two wins from seven starts with the victory. Backed from $31 into $19 before starting at $21, he scored by a half-head over Revolving Door ($5) with the heavily-backed favourite Enigman ($4.20 to $3.40) third.
The Caulfield victory followed second placings at Ballarat and Sandown at his first two runs in Australia.
His final two runs before leaving New Zealand were a fifth placing in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and a fifth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m).
My Paisann’s win atoned for a near-miss for Beriman earlier in the day, the jockey forced to settle for a short-neck second placing aboard Swan Hill on-pacer Don’t Get Excited in the $60,000 Sheen Group Plate (1600m).
Beriman led until the final few strides aboard the Nathan Hobson-trained gelding, who started at $21, before being nabbed by the Beau Mertens-ridden Coldstone.
“I did get a little bit excited at the 100, but I heard Beau coming and he ran tremendous race, so you have to be happy with that,” she said.