Robbie Patterson made his mark with a small team at last year’s Queensland winter carnival and is keen on a return trip.
The New Plymouth horseman’s stable has been in fine form this season with a career-best tally of 39 winners to sit third on the Trainers’ Premiership and has several potential travellers to Brisbane with numbers to be firmed up in the coming weeks.
“You’ve got to be right on top of your game to go over there so we’ll see where they all sit in the next fortnight,” he said.
High on the list are The Fearless One (NZ) (The Bold One) and Nom De Plume (NZ) (El Roca), who performed with distinction in Brisbane 12 months ago when they accompanied Patterson’s now retired dual Group One winner Coventina Bay (NZ) (Shamexpress).
The Fearless One produced a bold showing in his Australian debut when third in the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) and had no luck in his next appearance.
“With a decent draw he could have won his first one and then he got caught three wide in the Brisbane Cup (Gr.2, 3200m) and you can’t do that over two miles,” Patterson said.
A son of The Bold One, the five-year-old has fashioned a tidy record with three wins and five placings from his 11 appearances and is making good progress toward a return to racing.
“He will be having another jump-out on Wednesday and then trial the following week before I find a race somewhere for him,” Patterson said.
“There’s the Lord Mayor’s Cup (Gr.3, 1800m) over there for him on May 27 and the Ipswich Cup (Listed, 2150m) three weeks later, all going well.”
Nom De Plume, who won a three-year-old event over 2150m at the Sunshine Coast last winter, was successful over a middle distance two runs before she stepped up in class in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m).
“She ran sixth without much luck and then I backed off her in anticipation that she might be going to Brisbane,” Patterson said.
“She’ll have a run at New Plymouth on May 13 in a Rating 75 mile and if she goes well we’ll probably look at taking her again.”
Multiple winners Mary Louise (NZ) (The Bold One), One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One) and Puntura (NZ) (Vespa) are also in the mix for Brisbane, as are a couple of promising younger stablemates.
“I’ve got a horse called Bow Hill that won her first start (at New Plymouth) the other day and she’ll line up again this weekend at Feilding in a three-year-old race, she looks very promising and she’s a chance to go,” he said.
“There’s also Uraskyfullastars, she’s really promising and if she came out and won her first start on Sunday then she could go as well.
“She won a trial the other day at Otaki and beat Mr Bully Tee, who ran second at Awapuni on Saturday and he looks quite a smart horse.
“She was tentatively sold, but that has fallen through. She could be anything, she’s a very smart animal.”
