Bott excited with Royal Patronage in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - Adrian Bott hopes to join co-trainer Gai Waterhouse in celebrating a monumental breakthrough ahead of having his first overseas runner when Royal Patronage contests the HK$24 million (S$4.06 million) Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1,600m) at Sha Tin on April 27.

Since forming a training partnership in 2016-17, Waterhouse, 70, and Bott, 37, have since conquered some of Australia's most important races, including the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1,200m) with Farnan (2020) and Lady Of Camelot (2024), the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1,600m) with Global Glamour in 2016 and the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2,500m) with Pinot in 2017.

Among the pair's 27 Group 1 credits is also Royal Patronage's Canterbury Stakes (1,300m) triumph at Randwick on March 8.

Bott hopes the French-bred six-year-old can deliver a first Group 1 win on foreign soil for Waterhouse, who has previously campaigned abroad in New Zealand, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, France and Hong Kong, with success coming only in New Zealand.

Royal Patronage will be Waterhouse's first runner in Hong Kong since her champion warhorse Grand Armee ran 11th to Vengeance Of Rain in the 2005 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2,000m) in a star-studded field also including Super Kid, Bullish Luck, Elvstroem and Elegant Fashion.

"This is my first overseas runner," said Bott. "I'm looking forward to next week, it will be exciting.

"It does bring its own set of challenges, but I feel he is the right type of horse and the timing is right to take him to Hong Kong.

"He will be going fourth-up into the Hong Kong race and is bringing the right form. He won very well first-up at Group 1 level (Canterbury Stakes) over 1,300m.

"He was very competitive in the (Group 1) George Ryder Stakes (fourth to Gringotts) at 1,500m when he wasn't beaten far around the right horses.

"He then ran an excellent race (when second) in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1,600m).

"Over the weekend, we saw the Doncaster form stand up with the winner, Stefi Magnetica, running a close second in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Group 1, 1,600m).

"Then Tom Kitten came off a seventh in the Doncaster to run third in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) behind Via Sistina and Dubai Honour. So that is the best form around."

Scheduled to land in Hong Kong on April 18, Royal Patronage will then have one week to gear up towards his face-off with Hong Kong's mile elite, headed by Voyage Bubble, Beauty Eternal and BMW Hong Kong Derby runner-up My Wish, among others.

He is also due to compete against fellow Australian-trained Mr Brightside, Japan's Gaia Force, Britain's Lake Forest and Bahrain's Goemon.

"He likes three weeks between runs, that's ideal, as he does race well on the fresher side," said Bott.

"We also have the trip to get over as well. I will head up next week and oversee the horse's preparation.

"Royal Patronage is a good traveller, but I don't think he will need to do too much once he's there to be ready for the race. There is a whole group of owners going there to enjoy the experience.

"I've been to Hong Kong before and I know the lay of the land to an extent, but it will be different taking a horse there. Gai is always thinking internationally and is keen to take up the challenge.

"We both feel Royal Patronage is the right horse, so it would be quite special for Gai and I if he can run well.

"Royal Patronage is very genuine, he makes his own luck racing on-speed, and he's tough, under pressure he responds, so we are looking forward to the Hong Kong race with him."

Tim Clark, who has ridden 59 winners in Hong Kong from 2011 to 2013, will partner Royal Patronage in the FWD Champions Mile.

The leading Sydney jockey has ridden Royal Patronage in all bar one of his eight starts in Australia, including at his two wins, the Canterbury and the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on his Australian debut.

The son of Wootton Bassett is himself a seasoned traveller, having recorded his previous four career wins in England and America.

Two of his UK victories came at Group level in 2021 when then prepared by North Yorkshire trainer Mark Johnston, the Group 3 Acomb Stakes (1,400m) at York and the Group 2 Royal Lodge (1,600m) at Newmarket.

Royal Patronage's last outing in UK came in Desert Crown's 2022 Epsom Derby (2,400m) win when he seemed to struggle in the going.

More Derbies were then targeted across the Atlantic when he was transferred to Graham Motion for an ambitious US campaign, which, however, produced only one lowly win in Keeneland, Kentucky in April 2023.

HKJC