Premier jockey Brendon McCoull renewed an old association with trainer Helen Patterson when he won the Fillies & Mares Maiden on Rozzie Roo at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston on Wednesday night.
Patterson, a former top trainer with multiple cup wins to her credit, has few runners these days and likes to book McCoull whenever he’s available and he likes to reciprocate.
“We go back a long way. One of my first wins as an apprentice was on one of Helen’s horses called Magyver,” McCoull said.
Rozzie Roo (Tough Speed-Corrie) was having only her second start and settled just off the pace before powering home to score an emphatic win over Jilly Babe that kicked clear turning for home with Village Green making up good ground late to finish third.
Patterson has been patient with the four-year-old.
“She’s been very immature and has gone shin-sore twice,” Patterson said.
“If she stays sound she will appreciate more ground but I’m wary of the fact that there is a history of joint problems in her family.”
Rozzie Roo is from the same family as Patterson’s 1984 Hobart Cup winner Viscount Geoffrey.
Patterson joked that she didn’t know where the winner’s stall was at Launceston because it had been so long since she’d trained a winner.
But if Rozzie Roo lives up to expectations the trainer could be spending her fair share of time in the winner’s stall.