Tough Mary Louise caps red-letter day for Patterson and Grylls
A game effort from Mary Louise (The Bold One) in yesterday’s Wellington Cup (Gr 3, 3200m) had trainer Robbie Patterson and jockey Craig Grylls on ‘cloud nine’ as she stayed on best of all to land yesterday’s feature for stayers.
Coming just half-an-hour after the trainer/jockey partnership had revelled in Thorndon Mile glory with Puntura, the five-year-old daughter of The Bold One (Fastnet Rock) provided them with yet another victory to remember.
Lining up as a $6.50 chance, having ran fourth and third respectively in the Waikato Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) and Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) on her last two starts, Mary Louise was kept three-wide in the middle of the 16-runner pack by Grylls after jumping from gate nine.
Sent for home under strong riding arriving into the home straight, Mary Louise found plenty for pressure and fought off the late run of Fierce Flight (Flying Artie) to score by one and a quarter lengths with the same distance further back to the third-placed Canheroc (El Roca).
Race favourite Waisake (Zed), who was bidding to land a second Wellington Cup, dramatically lost his rider Matt Cameron early in the race after appearing to clip heels when racing in tight space towards the rear of the field.
“Ten years ago, I won both races on the same day with A Touch Of Ruby [in the Thorndon Mile] and Graphic [in the Wellington Cup] which was back in 2014,” Grylls said.
“This is the best and to do it for Robbie and Eddie Bourke [part-owner] is outstanding as they are such great people.
“The last few starts she had tailed off and I couldn’t get her to go whereas today she actually pulled for the first half of the race and I had a job to settle her.
“I was on the outer and had cover and when I gave her a click she came up underneath me and I knew I was travelling pretty sweet.”
Racing in the colours of her co-breeder and part-owner Eddie Bourke, Mary Louise took her career numbers to seven wins and a further three placings from 15 starts yesterday, with over $325,000 in prize-money earned.
“I’m very emotional to win this as it means a lot to me and is very special,” an overwhelmed Patterson said.
“This is a very iconic race and while we in the Taranaki may not always have the best bred horses, we really punch above our weight and I’m very proud of that.
“She [Mary Louise] over-raced a bit early on as she is used to going a bit quicker, but then she found her rhythm.
“She was three, four and even five wide at times so it was a pretty good effort although she stays longer than a mother-in-law. How do you beat this [winning a Group 1 as well as the Cup], well you can’t and I’m so proud.”
Out of the winning Catbird (Danehill) mare Daisy Louise, Mary Louise (5 m ex Daisy Louise by Catbird) is a half-sister to fellow winners Grant (Redwood) and Eddie Wood (Redwood).
Yesterday’s success provided her sire The Bold One with a third individual stakes winner from 56 starters. He stood the 2023 breeding season at Grangewilliam Stud for a fee of NZ$4,000 (plus GST).
The race also marked the final call for iconic commentator Tony Lee who is hanging up the binoculars after a 40-year career.