MCDONALD THINKING BIG WITH STAR PATROL
CLASSY four-year-old Star Patrol has trainer Clinton McDonald thinking big ahead of this year’s autumn carnival.
The Cranbourne-based conditioner has Group 1 goals for his son of Starspangledbanner, who kicks off in Thursday’s W.J. Adam Stakes (1000m) at Sandown.
“He’s come back great, he’s had two good trials and he’s been nice and bright on both occasions,” McDonald said.
“The 1000 metres is probably a touch short for him but there looks to be really good speed in the race.
“I think he’ll probably sit off them and look for him to be really powering home late.”
The former Queenslander Star
Patrol burst on the scene in April last year, putting seven lengths on subsequent stakes winner Cardinal Gem when dominating at Flemington.
In a short space he’d graduated from a Pakenham maiden to a narrow second behind Passive Aggressive in the Listed Creswick Stakes.
While displaying dramatic improvement following his initial preparation in Brisbane when trained by Kacy Fogden, McDonald puts it down to a change of scenery and different way of going.
“We didn’t really do much different with him, we’ve just got great facilities here at Cranbourne and he’s just a happy horse,” McDonald said.
“We take him to the beach and we poke around with him and I think he’s just a lot more settled going the
Melbourne way. He just fit straight in and has done everything right.”
Jockey Ben Melham is set to partner Star Patrol for his first-up test on Thursday.
Should the gelding come through the Australia Day holiday Listed event in good order, it’s full steam ahead towards the Oakleigh Plate in late February before taking on the Newmarket Handicap.
“Hopefully we get through Thursday and then we’ll go to the Oakleigh Plate,” McDonald said.
“After that we’ll target the Newmarket with him, he seems to love the Flemington straight and it looks to shape as a suitable race for him.”
Bookmaker TAB rates Star Patrol as a $26 chance to win this year’s Oakleigh Plate.