Robbie Patterson is hoping to see a glimpse of The Fearless One’s true staying talent in Saturday’s Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m) at Arawa Park.
The talented son of The Bold One has been sparingly raced for his six years of age, with just 15 starts under his belt for three victories and seven minor placings.
His most recent hiatus came as the result of a wind operation, and Patterson is hoping the gelding can return to the heights of his Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) placing in mid-2022.
“He’s coming back from a wind operation, so he’s probably going to really start putting his foot in the till now to see whether he’s going to come back to where he was,” he said.
The Fearless One’s fresh-up appearance at Otaki exceeded expectations with a strong runner-up finish behind Group 1 performer Lightning Jack on heavy track conditions, however, that effort may have told in his run for seventh in the Listed ANZAC Mile (1600m) a fortnight later.
“He put in a very pleasing effort first-up behind Lightning Jack, but he was a bit plain the other day. That might have been the fact that he was second-up at a mile, when he had run out of his skin over a mile first-up,” Patterson said.
“I’m hoping that’s the reason, but I have got a bit of doubt after coming back from his operation.
“I think an improvement in track conditions would be of help, if it could come back to Soft5 would be great, but that’s probably being hopeful.”
The Fearless One has been among several horses Patterson has campaigned during Queensland’s winter carnival in recent years, but the Taranaki trainer has his sights firmly set on the New Zealand spring with his high-flying stable.
“We won’t be going to Queensland this year, a lot of my better Group horses are out in the paddock and getting ready for the early spring here,” he said.
Last-start winner Rum Night will also make the journey north to contest the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 2200, while closer to home at New Plymouth on Saturday, Patterson is looking forward to starting the career of juvenile filly La Kwik, an Ardrossan half-sister to Group 3 Waikato Cup (2400m) winner Dionysus, and multiple stakes-performer Quintabelle in the A B Electrical Ltd 2YO (1200m).
“She’s a very well-related filly being a half to Dionysus, who won the Waikato Cup, and Quintabelle who has been a very good filly all season down south,” Patterson said.
“I don’t expect her to be winning on Saturday but if she can run third or fourth and be attacking the line would be great. She’ll go out for a spell and will be a lovely three-year-old, she’s just a bit weak at the moment.
“I think she’ll definitely be one to watch in the future.”
Quality mares Regal Dice and Our Jumala are looking to improve further on their last-start performances in the Landmark Homes 1800, where the latter was unlucky to be near the tail in a leader-dominated Group 3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m).
“Our Jumala loves this track, she can sit-back and slingshot off the bend,” Patterson said.
“She went to Riccarton for the race that Green Luck won, where they just walked and sprinted up the straight, so she couldn’t quicken from the back.
“She’s come home, done well and I expect her to run well on Saturday.
“Regal Dice has had a couple of runs in now and got her fitness levels up, so I’m expecting her to run well too. I’d like to think both of them could be around the money at their home track.
“She over raced the other day which is not like her, so Ciel (Butler, jockey) has been tinkering with her gear ever since. She’s come up with a nose band and thinks that’s the best option, so hopefully it comes to fruition.”
Patterson has also engaged O’Ceirins Dream, Belladonna Lily, Smug One and Ragamuffin through the card, with a wide draw (13) the only hinderance on Ragamuffin’s potential in the Hel Rimu 1800.
“I’ve got no qualms about the 1800, but he has got a sticky draw for the distance at New Plymouth as they start pretty close to the first bend up the straight there,” he said.
“He’s improved with his winning run, he ran really well first-up for third and we put the blinkers on, and he got the job done.
“If he can slot in one-off without doing too much, he’ll be right in the thick of it.”
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