Steven Pateman sets sights on jumps glory

Pateman has been booked to ride veteran jumper Zed Em in the Great Eastern Steeplechase at the Oakbank Carnival over the Easter break and the Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase on May 2.

The talented horseman, who also holds a trainers licence, rode the Payne-trained Zed Em to victory in last year’s Great Eastern Steeplechase before running second in the Grand Annual.

“I’ve spoken to Patrick and confirmed I will ride Zed Em in the Great Eastern and the Grand Annual,” Pateman said.

“Zed Em is a top class jumper. He’s tough, bold and races on the pace. I was very impressed with his flat run in New Zealand the other day. I’m not sure when his Kiwi trainer Kevin Myers will send the horse over to Patrick, but Zed Em will be in great order once he gets to Patrick’s stables.”

Pateman said Zed Em was stiff not to win last year’s Grand Annual after his Great Eastern Steeplechase victory.

“I thought Zed Em  was a shade unlucky in the Grand Annual,” he said.

“We did a lot of work in the run with Valdection. We beat him off and then Gold Medals had the last crack at us and was just too strong.

"We’ve had a few runs against Gold Medals and he’s beaten us each time, but this year the weights will be slightly in our favour.

"The Grand Annual is the race I want to win again. It’s every jumps jockeys dream to win the Grand Annual.

"The race is the grand final for all jumps jockeys.”

The two-time Grand Annual Steeplechase-winning jockey said he’s prepared to lose weight to ride Zed Em in this year’s Annual.

“My weight is hovering about 70kg,”he said.

“I’ve been riding around 67kg for the last couple of years, but I’m prepared to get down to 65kg to ride Zed Em in the Grand Annual."

Pateman, who has more than 20 horses in work with his wife Jess at their Barwon Heads property, said his own stable had no headline performers.

“We’ve got 15 jumpers  in work,” he said. “There’s no top notch ones there for this jumps season.

"We’ve just  got an even lot of jumpers in the stable that should be competitive in easier races than the big features.”

Pateman’s Grand Annual winners are Al Garhood in 2011 and Awakening Dream in 2012.

WARRNAMBOOL trained Snoano needs to run to his best if he’s to win the $250,000 Launceston Cup on Wednesday, according to trainer Aaron Purcell.

Snoano ran fifth in the Hobart Cup earlier this month, and Purcell believes the Launceston Cup is a stronger race than the Hobart Cup.

“I’m expecting Snoano to run well, but he’s going to have to be at the top of his game to win the Launceston Cup,” he said.

“It’s a very good Launceston Cup field – in my opinion normally the Launceston Cup is an easier race then the Hobart Cup. This year it’s different.

"Our main chance of winning the race is to sit off the pace.”

Snoano has won six of his 39 starts.

NEW ZEALAND bred jumper I’ll’ava’alf showed he’s ready for the opening steeplechase race for the year at Warrnambool on March 14 with a pleasing flat run in a restricted race last Thursday.

Trainer Patrick Ryan said the 10-year-old will have a steeplechase school at his home track on Friday to finalise preparation for the first season opener. “Darryl Horner will be riding I’l’ll’ava’alf in the steeplechase,” the Warrnambool-based trainer said.

“I’ll’ava’alf has come back into work in great condition. I’m hoping we get a bit of give in the tracks, as his best efforts are on soft ground.”

From 77 starts, I’ll’ava’alf has won 12 races and earnt more than $380,000 in stakemoney.

WITH the running of the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday, it was hard not to remember the deeds of former top local jockey Neville Wilson.

It was 28 years ago that Wilson won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes on Redelva. He won five Group 1 races during his illustrious riding career; three of them on Redelva. Wilson’s other two big wins were on Black Rogue and Preserve.

YEARLINGS by the likes of Written Tycoon, Exceed and Excel, Zoustar, Brazen Beau, So You Think and Dundeel headline a strong catalogue for the 2019 Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale on April 28.

The Melbourne Gold Sale has produced some outstanding results in recent years, none better than the likes of Group 1 winner Malaguerra (cost $32k, has won $1.9m), Group 1-placed I’ll Have A Bit (cost $48k, won $676k), Lyuba (cost $2k, has won $445k), Sirbible (cost $3.5k, won $326k) and Desert Lashes (cost $3k, has won $370k).

This year’s catalogue of 241 yearlings is again filled with quality, with a wide range of proven and first season sires.