Pateman elated to keep it in the family

There was no happier person at Mt Barker Turf Club on Sunday than jockey Mitchell Pateman.

The Albany-based hoop rode a perfect race aboard star Paul Hunter-trained galloper Dream Lifter as he demolished his rivals in the $100,000 Mungrup Stud Sprint (1300m), in front of a near capacity crowd on Grapes and Gallops day.

Pateman gave the buzzing crowd something to cheer about when the $2.40 tote favourite burst clear in the home straight, standing up to deliver a victory salute to his supporters in a race that meant so much to him and his family.

"That's the best feeling, it doesn't get much better than that," he said.

"Shining Knight and Mr Utopia, they're genuine Group 1 horses but that today showed he is right up there with them.

"He's probably not the hardest horse to ride, he's versatile but today he was always going to put himself in the race.

"As soon as he handled the first corner, he was never going to get beat, he was flying."

The 20-year-old joins the Mungrup Stud Sprint honour roll alongside his late father Michael Pateman, mother Maria Pateman and uncle Paul Hunter after Sunday's emotional victory.

Michael saddled up Shane's Boy to win the 2003 edition of the sprint feature and Maria rode Albany Gold to victory in 1992.

Dream Lifter's triumph served as Paul Hunter's second success in the race after his first win with My Leo back in 2007.

"I came down here with dad as a kid a lot to watch runners he had in the race and it has always been a race I wanted to win," Pateman said.

"To know mum and dad, Paul and I have all won it is pretty special.

"The Williamson family were great supporters of dad in his career and it's great to win their race."

In the lead-up, Pateman had to waste to 55kg to ride Dream Lifter in the region's richest sprint race, but said that was a distant memory as he saluted the crowd.

"Yes, 55kg is a struggle, I have only ridden under that weight for Showy Chloe and him," he said.

"It was hard work, but it's worth it now.

"But full credit goes to Paul, the horses come first before anything and he's not an easy horse to train.

"His record speaks for itself and I think he's at his peak now - because of his issues he's had a lot of time to mature, but he's just starting to hit his straps."

For the celebratory gesture before the winning post, Pateman was fined $800 by the stewards, but that was of small significance compared to the effort he and the stable put in to win the race.