Albury trainer Andrew Dale has been to Berrigan in the past but hasn’t ever enjoyed much success until Saturday, adding the Berrigan Gold Cup to his resume.
Dale and jockey Jake Duffy teamed up to have two winners together on the day, while Duffy snared an extra winner in the earlier races.
Eight year-old gelding Little Red Devil won the $15,000 main race by a length to Magic Pegasus ridden by Jerilderie jockey Brooke Sweeney.
It was an impressive third-up win for the $8 longshot, as his previous two starts were ninth and eighth respectively.
Local trainer Paul McVicar took out the last minor place with a Quick Spin finishing third, while his second horse Hakerak came fourth.
Race favourite Silent Dream put in a disappointing run finishing a distant fifth.
Dale said it was a tremendous effort from his horse.
‘‘We thought we had him right third up today, his first two runs he probably wasn’t fit enough and faced the breeze a couple of times.
‘‘Jake galloped him on Tuesday, and he galloped well today, we thought if we get to the top or sit outside the leader we’d have a chance.
‘‘He won the Towong Cup and ran well in the Narrandera Cup so he’s been a really good winning horse and to take out three country cups is an extraordinary effort.
‘‘Not really sure where we’ll go but we’ll just celebrate tonight (Saturday night).
‘‘It has been a good day, we won two races and probably should have won the fourth (with Biding Time).
‘‘It’s a super day, we came to Berrigan Cup day a few years ago and didn’t perform all that well so I always wanted to come back and to bring a good quality eight year old to win.’’
McVicar enjoyed a good day however was unable to come home with a win, snarring second in race two with Enconti finishing two lengths behing the Dale/Duffy combo of $4 Battlescar.
Jerilderie trainer Phil Sweeney only had one minor placing in the first race with Bianbarnie coming second to Rowling in Riches ridden by Duffy.
Fellow Jerilderie trainer Ross Purcell’s horse Zarsupreme came third in race two.
