Principal Trainers: John Oxx, Jessica Harrington
Notable Wins:
- Flame Of Tara Stakes (Chrysanthemum 2010, Dreamtheimpossible 2008)
- National Stakes (Pathfork 2010)
- Debutante Stakes (Laughing Lashes 2010)
- Low Low Handicap (Toufan Express 2010)
- Loughbrown Stakes (Keredari 2010)
- Vintage Crop Stakes (Roses For The Lady 2010, Icklingham 2005)
- Carlingford Stakes (Indiana Gal 2009)
- Garnet Stakes (Aspectoflove 2009)
- Concorde Stakes (Duff 2009, Noelani 2006)
- Renaissance Stakes (Snaefell 2009)
- DFS Park Stakes (Duff 2009)
- Tipperary Stakes (Our Jonathan 2009)
- Brownstown Stakes (Glowing 2009, Miss Sally 2005)
- Ballygallon Stud Stakes (Long Lashes 2009)
- Ballycorus Stakes (Duff 2009)
- Mooresbridge Stakes (Curtain Call 2009)
- Navan Sprint Stakes (Jumbajukiba 2009)
- Salsabil Stakes (Indiana Gal 2009, Allexina 2005)
- Alleged Stakes (Baron De’l 2009)
- Killavullan Stakes (Rayeni 2008)
- Solonaway Stakes (Jumbajukiba 2008 + 2007)
- Platinum Stakes (Duff 2008, Miss Honorine 2002)
- Minstrel Stakes (Jumbajukiba 2008)
- Ballyogan Stakes (Age Of Chivalry 2008, Miss Anabaa 2003)
- Ridgewood Pearl Stakes (Grecian Dancer 2008)
- Beresford Stakes (Curtain Call 2007)
- Irish Cambridgeshire (Jalmira 2007)
- Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes (Sudden Impact 2007, Invincible Force 2006, Bella Chica 2001)
- Sweet Mimosa Stakes (Indian Maiden 2006)
- Belgrave Stakes (Osterhase 2006)
- Rockingham Handicap (Osterhase 2006 + 2004)
- Kilboy Estate Stakes (Blessyourpinksox 2006)
- Naas Sprint Stakes (Osterhase 2006 + 2004)
- Gladness Stakes (Common World 2006)
- Fairy Bridge Stakes (Fairy Of The Night 2005)
- Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Osterhase 2005)
- Martin Molony Stakes (Behkiyra 2005)
- Curragh Cup (Mkuzi 2005)
- Ascot Stakes (Leg Spinner 2005)
- Celebration Stakes (Caradak 2005)
- Glencairn Stakes (Lord Admiral 2005)
- Leopardstown November Handicap (Al Eile 2004)
- Silken Glider Stakes (Allexina 2004)
- Blue Wind Stakes (Hazarista 2004)
- Ballycullen Stakes (Cruzspiel 2003)
- Testimonial Stakes (Captain Rio 2002)
- Irish Cesarewitch (American Gothic 2002)
- Silver Stakes (Smuggler’s Song 2002)
- C.L.Weld Park Stakes (Red Rioja 2001)
- Blandford Stakes (Dearly 2001)
- Ruby Stakes (Rush Brook 2000)
- Ladbroke Hurdle (Mantles Prince 2000)
- Oddbins Handicap Hurdle (Khayrawani 1999 + 1998)
- Coral Cup (Khayrawani 1999)
Early Days
Fran Berry was bred to be a jockey, being a son of 10-time champion jump jockey Frank and it was his father, who was a trainer at the time, who gave him the bulk of his early opportunities. He took his first ride on a horse called Loughmogue at the Curragh in late-March 1996 and he gained his first win on just his sixth ride when partnering the same horse to win a sprint handicap at Navan the following May. While he failed to ride another winner that season, he continued to gain valuable experience that would stand him in good stead in the seasons to come.
His work rate gradually picked up throughout 1997, with him riding both on the Flat and over hurdles, with a total of 11 wins coming his way during the course of the year. However, it was in 1998 that his career well and truly took off. He rapidly became an in-demand claiming rider and the Christy Roche-trained Khayrawani was a notable performer in this part of Berry’s career, with Berry riding him to win the Oddbins Handicap Hurdle at the Aintree Grand National Festival in both 1998 and 1999 and even more notably, the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in 1999. He also won the Ladbroke Hurdle (now known as the MCR Hurdle) at Leopardstown on the Pat Hughes-trained Mantles Prince in 2000. In between those wins, Berry lost his claim when riding Jacks Estate to win at Tipperary in August 1999 and at the time of his win in the Ladbroke, he had won a total of 112 races, 30 of them over hurdles and the rest on the Flat.
The remainder of 2000 saw Berry continue his momentum under both codes, with some notable highlights coming on the David Wachman-trained Rush Brook, who he rode to win a premier handicap at the Curragh and the listed Ruby Stakes at Tralee. It was in early-2001 that Berry decided to change the course of his career as, with his weight settling down, he made the decision to concentrate on riding on the Flat. That season, he more than justified that decision by having a highly-successful term, gaining big race wins in the Blandford Stakes on the John Oxx-trained Dearly and the C.L.Weld Park Stakes on the Eoghan O’Neill-trained Red Rioja.
A Cherished Role
2002 was an immensely important year in Fran Berry’s career, as it was at the beginning of that season that Berry became the second jockey to top trainer, John Oxx. With the backing of such a powerful stable, it was no surprise to see Berry register a career-best total of 48 wins during the course of the Flat season. The highlights of that term were his wins in the listed Silver Stakes on the Charles O’Brien-trained Smuggler’s Song and the listed Platinum Stakes at Cork on the Oxx-trained Miss Honorine and he wrapped up the season in perfect style when competing a notable double at the Curragh in late-October, winning the Irish Cesarewitch on the Charles O’Brien-trained American Gothic and the listed Testimonial Stakes on the Richard Whitaker-trained Captain Rio.
2003 saw continued success for Berry, with him riding a similar amount of winners as he had the previous year, with the highlights coming when winning the listed Ballycullen Stakes on the Oxx-trained Cruzspiel and the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes on the Rae Guest-trained Miss Anabaa. It was also during the course of this season that Berry first combined with the John Mulhern-trained Osterhase and the pair would prove to be an extremely effective team over the course of the next three seasons, winning on no less than nine occasions including the valuable Rockingham Handicap (twice), the listed Naas Sprint Stakes (twice) and the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
Climbing The Ladder
While already well-established in the Irish weighing room, 2004 was something of a breakout season for Berry, as he elevated himself into the upper echelons of the jockey’s championship by riding by far his biggest seasonal total of winners. The increased number of winners was also mirrored by an increasing level of big-race success for Berry, with the likes of Osterhase, Hazarista, Allexina and Al Eile provided notable triumphs through the course of the season. In total, he rode no less than 66 winners, which was enough to see him finish an admittedly distant second to Jamie Spencer in the jockey’s championship, narrowly beating off the attentions of Pat Smullen for that position.
For the majority of the 2005 season, Berry could not put a foot wrong. He gained his first win at Royal Ascot on the Tony Martin-trained Leg Spinner in the Ascot Stakes and gained other notable successes on the likes of Allexina, Mkuzi, Caradak and Miss Sally. He was well on his way to having his best ever season and was odds-on favourite to become Champion Jockey in Ireland until tragedy struck. Riding the Noel Meade-trained Indian Rite in a fillies’ maiden at the Curragh in mid-August, his mount broke a leg and Berry was badly injured in the resulting fall. Having suffered a fractured sternum and a compressed fracture of a vertebra in his neck, as well as displacing another, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season, robbing him of the jockey’s championship.
Back On The Horse
Having given his injuries ample time to heal, Berry returned in 2006 with renewed vigour and hunger to succeed. His old friend Osterhase helped his cause by gaining three notable wins and he came close to gaining a first classic win when riding the Joe Murphy-trained Ardbrae Lady to finish second in the Irish 1000 Guineas. Common World, Noelani, Indian Maiden, Kalderon, Flash McGahon and Blessyourpinksox all helped Berry’s cause by proving him with further notable successes, but his most valuable win of the year came on the Deborah Evans-trained Invincible Force in the Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes at the Curragh. He finished the season with a total of 57 winners, which was sufficient to see him finish fourth in the jockey’s championship.
For many, 2006 was a pivotal season in the career of Berry, as one can never be certain that an athlete will return to his best after serious injury, but having proven he was as good as ever during that season, in 2007 Berry continued the progress that had been halted by his injury in 2005, registering a new career-best tally of winners in a tremendously satisfying season. For the second year in succession, the most valuable win of his season came in the Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes, winning it on the Paul Green-trained Sudden Impact, but he also gained equally important wins in the Beresford Stakes on the Jessica Harrington-trained Curtain Call and the Irish Cambridgeshire on the Charlie Swan-trained Jalmira. He finished the season on 80 winners, which was enough to secure a close third to Pat Smullen in the jockey’s championship.
2008 saw Fran mount his strongest challenge yet for the Champion Jockey title. He worked exceptionally hard through the year and was rewarded with a multitude of big-race wins, with the Jessica Harrington-trained Jumbajukiba undoubtedly being his most lucrative partner, winning no less than three Group 3 contests. He has also gained notable wins on Grecian Dancer, Baron De’l, Dreamtheimpossible, Age Of Chivalry and Rayeni. Having been engaged in a well-publicised battle for the jockey’s title with Pat Smullen and Johnny Murtagh for the final weeks of the season, Berry emerged second-best with 85 winners, just five behind Pat Smullen and five ahead of Johnny Murtagh.
While Berry did not make as strong a challenge for the jockey’s title in 2009, he maintained a typically consistent strike-rate and actually collected more prize money than he had the previous year thanks to regular big-race successes. This time it was the turn of the Ed Lynam-trained Duff to provide Fran with his most lucrative successes, with the pair combining to win two Group 3’s and a Group 2 from just four starts together. At the end of the season, Berry had notched up 73 winners, which was enough to see him take third place in the jockey’s championship behind his old rivals Pat Smullen and Johnny Murtagh.
A New Era of Success
The winter of 2009/10 brought some very good news to the table of Fran Berry. With the legendary Mick Kinane deciding the hang up his riding boots, John Oxx announced that after eight years of acting as his second jockey, Berry would now be the number one rider in Currabeg. Having more than served his time, it was a well-deserved appointment for Berry. The season has started off well for the new arrangement, with Roses For The Lady and Keredari providing Listed race wins in the first month of the season. However, rather than John Oxx, it was Berry’s partnership with horses trained by Jessica Harrington that was the real highlight of his season. Laughing Lashes was the first to strike for Berry, winning the Group 2 Debutante Stakes at the Curragh before failing by a length to give Harrington and Berry their first wins at Group 1 level in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in late-August. However, the in-form pairing didn’t have to wait long to gain compensation for that reversal, as the unbeaten Pathfork, who Berry had already ridden to win the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh, went on to win the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh just a few short weeks later. It was very much a deserved first success at the highest level for both Berry and Harrington and the joy in both their faces after the race very much told how much it meant to them. While Berry found just Pat Smullen too good in the race for the title of Champion Jockey, Berry’s tally of 88 winners was a career-best effort.
While it was revealed at the end of the season that Johnny Murtagh would be the Aga Khan’s retained rider in 2011, thus taking away many of Berry’s better mounts as John Oxx’s stable jockey, Berry looks to have a huge amount to look forward to in 2011, with Pathfork and Laughing Lashes looking to be genuine Classic contenders. Having ridden a career-best total of winners in 2010, Berry’s progression as a rider looks to be continuing and further Group 1 success is unlikely to be too far away.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
