Trainer Darryn Pateman has enjoyed a memorable Broome racing season and he is hoping to end it with a big bang on Saturday.
The Karnup-based horseman will unleash his full stable arsenal in an attempt to claim the Broome Cup-Broome Sprint double.
Pateman has been a regular visitor to Broome for the past six years but his record in 2016 has been one of his most successful.
He is on target to claim his second Broome trainer’s premiership and in May he had the rare distinction of training five winners.
Only a short-head margin when Marcamjo ran second to Carillo prevented Pateman from posting a clean sweep of the six race card.
Since taking out his trainer’s license as a 20-year-old, Pateman has prepared over 400 metropolitan, provincial and country winners.
A career highlight an Ascot city double when Don’trocktheboat and Liquidation, who won the Listed Placid Arc Stakes, were successful in 2008.
But missing from Pateman’s trophy cabinet and one major country race that he is very keen to arrest is the Broome Cup.
He arguably gets his best chance on Saturday with a powerful three-pronged attack, headed by Vital Edition.
His undercard can’t be dismissed with Helder The Painter and Ningaloo Blitz also capable of figuring in the money.
But Pateman believes Vital Edition deserves top billing after turning the Kimberley Cup (2020m) into a one-cat affair.
Overcoming a distance query the son of Vital Equine shot away to defeat Helder The Painter by a commanding 4 ¼ lengths.
It was his third win from five starts this campaign after being acquired for the princely sum of $10,000 by a group on loyal clients, including Pateman’s wife, Allison McPherson, ahead of the Broome season.
“He has been a really nice horse and is just a pleasure to have around the stable,” Pateman said.
“He is so laid back and one of the quietest horse that I have had.
“He adapted to his new surroundings pretty much straight away.
“On the strength of the Kimberley Cup win you have to say he is the horse to beat.
“This is the race he has been set for and I wouldn’t swap him for anything.”
RWWA: Julio Santarelli