Happy Patron may be set for N.Z. Derby

Press, 11 January 1986, Page 24

Happy Patron may be set for N.Z. Derby

By

J. J. Scott

A late payment for the rich John Brandon New Zealand Derby can now be made for the up-and-coming Southland three-year-old. Happy Patron, after his useful win in the Dalgety Crown Timaru Challenge Stakes at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting yesterday. “We’ve got no immediate plans for him, he’ll probably have a bit of a let-up and I suppose we’ll have to look at making a late payment,” said his Wyndham trainerdriver, Brendon McLellan. “He doesn’t really know that much,” said McLellan, aged 21, of the El Patron— Not Funny gelding, which was having only his third race start. He had won a maiden race at Omakau. Happy Patron, in the open over a swift opening quarter, trailed three back on the outer from the 1400 m and finished best to win comfortably by half a length, pacing the mobile 2000 m in 2:31.8, a mile rate of 2:2.1.

McLelland, who earlier

gained experience with Maurice Skinner, Gordon Davidson and the late Ray Todd, trained four winners last season in his debut term. Happy Patron’s win credited turn with his eighth training win this season and his ninth driving success. He trains Happy Patron for Barry Todd and Todd’s sister, Judith Davidson, cousins of McLellan.

The favourite, Uncle Alex, trailed the pacemaking Borderline to the home turn, and fought on determinedly along the inner without ever

really looking like getting to the winner.

Pathfinder ran on strongly from the back to get up for third, a neck away, with a length to Borderline, which was attacked in front by Dream Lustre to the home turn, the two pacemakers sprinting the second-last 400 m in 28.4 s before compounding over the closing stages. Timandra continued a, fine run of form over the Christmas-New Year circuit when she led over the last

2000 m of the Bailey Mazda Mobile Pace. Her. trainer-driver, Paul Young, steadied the field then sprinted home best to hold out McAndrew, which was wide early and attended the pacemaker over the last 2000 m. Sapphire King, given the run of the race handy on the outer, fought on for third, two lengths back, with Counsel Bay, which trailed, and Luna Dawn, four back on the inner to the straight, making ground late to finish next.