Once, twice, six times at Brighton on journey from zero to cult hero

THE LOWDOWN

Born 2010
Sex Gelding
Sire Layman
Dam Minnie's Mystery
Trainer John Berry
Owner McCarthy & Berry
Races 36 Wins 6 Prize-money £19,269
Best RPR 79
Defining moment Six wins at Brighton

In a 36-race career, the almost white seven-year-old Roy Rocket has won six races – all of them at Brighton, where this quirky gelding has earned cult-hero status for his efforts in low-grade middle-distance handicaps. Ridden out every day by his owner-breeder John Berry, 'Roy' is part of the furniture at the trainer's 15-horse Newmarket base.

ACCIDENTAL BREEDER

Roy Rocket is a son of Layman bred by his trainer from his only mare Minnie's Mystery, who has now produced the winners of more than 30 races including nine-year-old Grey Panel, a star of the Jersey racing scene, Galway winner Dream Walker – nine-time winner for Brian Ellison – and Roy Rocket's younger half-brother, dual bumper winner White Valiant. Roy Rocket is part-owned by south London-based Laraine ('Larry') McCarthy and her mother Iris, whose late husband Joe was a longstanding Berry patron.

John Berry, trainer I got into breeding not particularly on purpose. I bought a yearling filly at Doncaster for 700gns and trained her for Tony Le Brocq, then she went out to race in Jersey as a three-year-old for him. Trained by Colin McCready, she was just about the best horse on the island for three years – she won the Jersey Guineas and Derby – and Tony was so kind because when she retired, he said I could have her as a broodmare. I hadn't intended to breed and the first year out of sentiment I sent her to Largesse, the only horse I've trained who became a stallion, then I wanted to send her to Gold Away in France, so she boarded at the Haras de la Cauviniere in Normandy. She's spent her whole boarding career there – her third covering was Layman, and that was Roy. He came over as a yearling and he's been here ever since. Roy Rocket is named after the character in [Australian country music star] Graeme Connors' song of the same name.

John Berry: breeder, part-owner and trainer of Brighton favourite Roy Rocket

SLOW PROGRESS

Gelded before he raced, Roy Rocket did not win in his first three seasons when his rating hovered around the mid-40s. Indeed, he made the first three only once in his first 15 starts.

Berry He always did so much wrong in his races: he was difficult in the stalls and hard-pulling. He always looked like he had some ability but you'd give him a couple of races and then he wouldn't be moving right, so he'd need to see the chiropractor. We spent about two years making no progress. He was his own worst enemy in a race – he pulled much too hard and dropped out.

'Larry' McCarthy, part-owner When my dad retired he was going racing a bit and he thought, if it's this exciting to watch a horse race when you've got a bet on it, what must it be like if you own one? So he did. Then when my dad died, John phoned up one day and said, "I've got this horse I bred – he's my pet really – but I would love it if you and your mum would have a share in him." It's such an honour to have a share in his pet. I've had bad experiences in the past when I've shared horses and other people want to sell them because if we have a horse it becomes part of our family. We never want to sell a horse, we never want to get rid of them, it would be like selling your dog or your cat.

BRIGHTON: THE LAST RESORT

When Roy Rocket turned five, Berry decided to give Brighton a whirl – and John Egan took over as his rider. He won three times at Brighton in 2015, twice more in 2016 and again on his seasonal debut in April this year.

Berry We just chanced upon Brighton by process of elimination. He'd not been doing particularly well on the all-weather over the winter; you had to drop him out if you could but you can't come from last on the all-weather because pretty much all races are slowly run now. But he was low rated and, for want of anything better, we tried Brighton. You can often throw the form book out the window there.

Roy Rocket (right) at John Berry's Newmarket stable with his half-brother White ValiantCredit: John Berry

McCarthy What I love is that he's got his little fan club at Brighton – you hear people come up to the rail and say "Look there's Roy Rocket!" He's so popular down there and it's very exciting for us, and we get to pretty much all the races. Brighton is the perfect place for us because Mum's 85 and we can just get on a train at Clapham Junction.

Berry He likes fast ground and small fields, and Brighton's got a very stiff uphill finish as well; you tend to get strongly run races there. His style of racing, win or lose, makes him popular – he always comes down the outside. Sometimes he wins and sometimes he doesn't but he always does that; he still has to be relaxed and come with a run. There's always a cheer when the commentator says: "Roy Rocket's starting to make his move down the outside." He's very, very popular there but he's much higher in the handicap now, so it's harder. But first time out this year the horses up front were taking each other on five furlongs from home and I thought it was tailor-made for him.

John Egan, jockey I've been riding for John for years and I love riding winners for him. I've got to know Roy – if you let him do his own thing, he'll come back for you, so I let him be the boss. You have to have a type of horse who likes Brighton and he's definitely a lot better at Brighton than anywhere else. Maybe he likes going to the beach! I love riding Roy Rocket at Brighton because if you know you're riding Roy Rocket at Brighton, you know you might have a chance of a winner.

Berry John knows him like the back of his hand and was a big, big factor in him finding his form. It's 20 years now since he first came out and rode for me, so he's been my preferred jockey for a long time. Roy ran better for having John. He's just a master horseman – he makes difficult rides look easy.

GENTLE BUT PLAYFUL

Berry I've never done so but I could quite happily open up the French windows and let him come in – you wouldn't come to any harm. He wouldn't do any damage. But if you didn't know him, he wouldn't be a nice ride. I ride him every day – it's probably more than two years since anyone else has ridden him at home. I enjoy riding him, but when he gets up on the heath he gets on his toes and he's quite feisty. You would be worried if you didn't know him; you'd think he was going to take off.

A playful Roy Rocket rearing up while half-brother White Valiant has a lie downCredit: John Berry

Egan I'm very fond of him – he's a great character. I'd say he knows more about the game than we do. He likes playing about, so I just let him do that in the stalls – he's a bit funny but he's just playing a game. He rears up and puts one of his feet on top of the gate and takes it down again.

Berry We've had three yellow cards now and we've got to have a stalls test before he runs again. He's very bad travelling to the races too – I don't take him with anything else and we have to take all the furniture out – there's been times when it sounds like the artillery's going off in the back.

McCarthy He's quite, quite beautiful. Everybody loves him. I don't know enough about horses to understand how their personality comes through but it certainly does with him. He's a star; he's given us a lot of pleasure, that's for sure.

MORE OF THE SAME

Berry We'll keep on doing what we've been doing for as long as he holds his form and I'd love to go back to Brighton for the next few summers. I'm really proud that he's won there six times and would love him to win more. He's seven now but he's not an old seven; at the age of seven, he shouldn't really still be an enfant terrible but he is.

Egan He's a grand old horse – he's Brighton's favourite horse. I can imagine driving there one day and seeing a statue of him.

Interviews by Nicholas Godfrey