Robbie Patterson is eyeing major spring targets with the three top-rated performers in his New Plymouth operation.
Puntura (NZ) (Vespa), One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One) and Mary Louise (NZ) (The Bold One) were chief contributors to his stakes tally during a personal best season in 2023/24 and the Taranaki trainer again has high hopes for the trio.
Patterson sent out 53 winners last term with seven at Group or Listed level and stable earnings topped $2.3 million.
Puntura was the individual star with success in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) and the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) and, like his high-profile stablemates, trialled at Otaki on Tuesday.
“They were all there for a day out to stretch their legs and they’re coming along well,” Patterson said.
“Puntura might go to the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m) and then target the Tarzino Trophy (Gr.1, 1400m) and the mile (Gr.1, Arrowfield Stud Plate, 1600m).”
The Vespa gelding hasn’t been out since he tailed the field home in the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield.
“He came in as the underdog last season and worked his way up, he got whipped in the All-Star, but he was at the end of it and we couldn’t turn it down.
“He’s come back from defeats before and picked himself up.”
Puntura made all the running for a soft win in his 1000m heat at Otaki, while Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) champion Mary Louise settled last and ran to the line under her own steam for fifth.
“The New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) is Mary Louise’s main target, so we’ll work our way back from that,” Patterson said.
“She’ll probably resume over 1400m and then go to a mile. She’ll be getting a bit more serious when she gets up in distance.
“She’ll run in the Metropolitan (Listed, 2600m) and then into the Cup.”
Mary Louise is a daughter of The Bold One whose son One Bold Cat won the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) last preparation and finished third in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m).
A last-start sixth from the outside gate in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m), the six-year-old sat back in his 1000m heat and worked to the line well to please Patterson.
“He was good and, potentially, he’ll run in the mile (Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate, 1600m) but definitely in the Livamol (Gr.1, 2040m),” he said.
“He will run in a 1200m at Wanganui at the end of this month and then a 1400m at New Plymouth and a couple of weeks later to mile at Hastings, although there is another mile at Te Rapa the day before.
“I don’t want to be travelling him too much, he’s never stayed away before and it might be too bigger a shock to his system, but the Livamol will be his main target.”
