Racing: Tragedy stalks today's Golden Slipper

Australian jockey Nathan Berry (third from left), on his wedding day with wife Whitney, was to have ridden Unencumbered in today's Golden Slipper.

Australian racing has been saying for weeks it needs a major focus for today's A$3.5 million Golden Slipper.

The one it got it doesn't want.

The cloak of sadness hanging over the world's richest 2-year-old race through the death of 23-year-old jockey Nathan Berry on Thursday is impenetrable.

Berry perished under the fierce crush of Norse syndrome, a severe strain of epilepsy, falling ill in Singapore two weeks ago.

Berry's condition worsened last weekend while in an induced coma. He was brought back to Sydney on life support on Thursday morning and died within hours of being admitted to a Sydney hospital.

Nathan Berry was to have ridden Unencumbered in today's big race for Sydney-based New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker, the pair having experienced their greatest thrill two months ago when combining to win the Magic Millions with Unencumbered.

Baker admits he wept uncontrollably when he learned of the death.

"I know a lot of people liked and admired Nathan, but very few knew just how special he really was.

"He touched a lot of people. A lot of people could have learned so much from him despite his young age.

"Tragedy is a word that doesn't even come close to describing his death."

Baker is extremely close to the network that surrounded Nathan Berry and his twin brother and constant companion, Tommy.

"Nathan's wife of two months, Whitney, is Glyn Schofield's daughter and Glyn and I are good mates. Nathan's mentor was Jeff Lloyd, another mate, who won the AJC Derby for us on Nom de Jeur, so we were all very close."

Baker said his association with Berry began when he asked the young jockey to ride Brilliant Terror, a Guillotine horse Baker bought from the sale ring for $8000 and owned a decent slice of.

"I told Nathan this was an important moment. Win this and we'll be mates for years. The horse won at $16, I sold him to Hong Kong and it set me up financially to establish a stable in Australia.

"I sacked him off all my horses earlier this season when he decided to go to Melbourne to ride one particular day instead of riding Unencumbered. "I was pretty annoyed and thought, 'he won't want to ride trackwork for me again any time soon'. Next morning he was there half an hour earlier than usual. That was him - he had a magnificent attitude.

"He was just a champion bloke. Originally I put him on simply because he was such a lovely guy, but his riding improved dramatically and he was headed right to the top."

Craig Williams has the ride on Unencumbered in the Slipper, a race won last year by twin Tommy Berry.

Bjorn Baker admits it will be surreal if Unencumbered wins.

He was beaten into second last start, but Baker says the colt has improved dramatically in fitness.

Sydney has dried out significantly. "But they've forecast storms tonight, so what the track will be like in the morning is anyone's guess.

"I don't think my bloke will be too greatly concerned if it's wet and loose."