Patronus A Star On The Rise

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Harness

It was a Sky Racing-WA Derby (2536m) that promised so much.

It was a race that delivered all that was hoped for and some more.

Patronus Star added his name to a wonderful WA Derby honour roll at Gloucester Park last night, thanks to a perfectly timed drive by Dylan Egerton-Green and an extraordinary training performance by Greg and Skye Bond.

The American Ideal gelding was able to settle three back on the pegs for Egerton-Green and sat patiently waiting for the runs to present.

Howard Hughes, Patronus Star’s stablemate, surrendered the lead from barrier one after Hampton Banner forced his way to the top.

Ryan Warwick then made his move to get outside the leader and do the hard work in the breeze.

The next move came down the back straight the first time when Franco Ecuador looped the field and worked his way to the lead.

While all of this was unfolding, race favourite Major Martini found himself in a perfect position to pounce on the leaders outside Patronus Star.

Gary Hall Jnr made his move at the bell and worked up to be three-wide outside Franco Ecuador and Howard Hughes.

Howard Hughes was the first to succumb to the pressure and it looked a race between Major Martini and Franco Ecuador.

Major Martini went to the lead at the 400m mark, while Franco Ecuador tried desperatley to go with him.

While all of this was happening at the front, Egerton-Green was still biding his time on the pegs with the gelding.

On the turn into the home straight the run came for Patronus Star and he unleashed a powerful finishing burst to grab Major Martini in the last stride.

Franco Ecuador held on bravely to run third.

The win delivered Greg Bond his fourth WA Derby and his first in the partnership with Skye.

It delivered Egerton-Green his first WA Derby, just months after he scored his first WA Pacing Cup for the Bond team.

Greg Bond described Patronus Star’s performance as “pretty special” as he joined Richard Henry, In The Force and Seel N Print as his Derby triumphs.

“Because he got here five weeks ago, missed a run at Gloucester Park and only had one start here we didn’t have race confidence in him,” he said.

“We knew he was up to the class but there was a reasonable amount of uncertainty there given we didn’t know him as well as we liked.

“We really liked him in New Zealand but we couldn’t get him the first time we wanted to.

“What he did off a limited preparation here, you’d like to think he’s got a really exciting future.”

Bond said Patronus Star may have one or two more runs before a break and get set for a Golden Nugget campaign.

Howard Hughes, who finished eighth, has already been sent to the spelling paddock after Bond said the quick lead time put a dampener on his chances of winning the Derby.

Meanwhile, El Jacko rounded out a super night for the Egerton-Green and Bond team combination by taking out the #InTheGig Pace (2130m).

Bond said he was pleased El Jacko was able to get his opportunity to lead and win from barrier one.

Stablemate and race favourite Galactic Star, who finished third last night, will now head for a spell and be targeted to next year’s WA Pacing Cup.

Tim Walker

WATCH THE DERBY HERE