Tom Berry put on a famous set of silks in world racing when he hopped on Vancouver at Randwick barrier trials on Friday morning and the unbeaten Golden Slipper winner put on a performance that left the men from Coolmore smiling and the jockey with goosebumps.
The Irish stud bought the controlling interest in Vancouver after his Golden Slipper win, valuing him at more than $40 million, and one of Coolmore's main men in Australia Michael Kirwan was emailing Ireland straight after the colt won his trial.
The son of Medaglia D'oro has been part of massive investment in stallions by Coolmore in the past year which includes American Triple Crown hero American Pharoah and Blue Diamond and Sires Produce Stakes winner Pride Of Dubai, which will trial at Rosehill on Tuesday.
Vancouver, which wore the Coolmore silks for the first time on Friday, could prove the wisest investment with his potential still untapped. Berry was quick to point that out after Friday, but he found it hard to contain himself.
"He is the sort of horse that gives me goosebumps," Berry said. "He just does things so easily. He is still laid back but is a little more switched on this time. When the trial had to be won he just did it.
"He came back and recovered so quickly. He is incredible."
Vancouver has matured during his spell and looked every inch the stallion with his commanding presence. He ran down older horses Hi World and dual group 1 winner Cosmic Endeavour in the final 100m of the trial, and left Doncaster winner Kermadec and the classy First Seal in his wake.
All without his usual racing attire of blinkers.
"That is the best he has trialled without them on. He just feels great," Berry said
Vancouver is the $3.50 favourite for next month's Golden Rose, where he will attempt to become the first Golden Slipper winning colt to complete the double, but trainer Gai Waterhouse has yet to decide on a starting point for his preparation.
She is tossing up between the San Domenico Stakes on August 15 and the Run To The Rose on August 29, both at Rosehill, depending on how he come through the trial.
"We will see how he pulls up and in another 10 days there are another set of trials. I haven't decided where he will start but he looks spot on after that," Waterhouse said.
"He has developed the way you would like a colt to and is stronger.
"He is so far ahead of our other two-year-olds that he has to work with the older horses already, and he does that comfortably."
Vancouver was one of eight trial winners from the Waterhouse stable for the morning, which she described "as a very good morning". Her stars were on show and even the ones that didn't win trials were impressive, including Golden Slipper runner-up English and Doomben Cup winner Pornichet.
Blake Shinn rode Pornichet and he did his best work late as he began a preparation targeted at the leg of Australian racing's grand slam, Waterhouse has yet to win the Cox Plate.
"He feels a better stronger horse and the way he finished that off you what have to be happy," Shinn said.
