Apprentice jockey wins Mt Barker Cup

Seasoned horse trainer Darryn Pateman has had to wait 27 years between wins but on Sunday the Lark Hill resident scored his second victory in the $35,000 XXXX Gold Mt Barker Cup (2000m) with tough stayer Ningaloo Blitz.

Pateman purchased the seven-year-old at last year’s sales after she won the 2015 Albany Cup for then trainer Dan Morton.

However, in an ironic twist Pateman teamed up with talented apprentice jockey Jake Casey to claim a dominant win in the Mt Barker feature race defeating Morton’s Tom Almighty, which started a $3.20 favourite, in the process.

Having just her fourth start for the Pateman stable, Ningaloo Blitz jumped a $9.50 chance in the race and settled last for Casey before being sent around the field at the 1100m mark when the pace slowed.

It was a genius tactic from Casey as the Natural Blitz mare strode forward to take the lead and skip two lengths clear of the field on the final corner.

Casey had plenty in reserve in the home straight as he bustled the veteran to the line to score a slashing 3 ¾ length win over Tom Almighty.

Pateman’s last success in the race came back in 1989 when he won the event with Lord’s Luck ridden by the late Michael Pateman.

Despite almost three decades between triumphs, Pateman said his latest win was just as good as the first.

“When we brought her down the other day, she just improved out of sight on that run,” he said.

“She can just stay that’s her asset and most of the time when they slow up she keeps going.

“No one wanted to ride her so I rang Jake and he went through and did his homework, and that’s how she wins getting back and then coming over the top of them.

“It’s great for an apprentice to win the cup and it’s a new bunch of owners as well.”

Pateman is now eyeing Sunday’s $120,000 Albany Cup (2100m) with Ningaloo Blitz.

“We will probably go to Albany next week,” he said.

“As long as she goes home and does well in the next couple of days.

“Albany Cup and if not probably the Narrogin Cup and then eventually up to Broome.”

For 18-year-old Casey it proved a worthwhile phone call to take from Pateman.

“She ran the trip very nicely,” he said.

“They slowed up a bit and we scooted off and she kept running on.

“Darryn called me later than usual and no one else wanted to ride it so I decided to come down and it all worked out.”