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Ronaldo to answer distance query this spring
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • September 17th, 2026 4:48 pm
Ronaldo will contest the CR Grace Ltd & Waterforce Sprint (1000m) at Trentham on Saturday | Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Trainer Robbie Patterson is confident his promising colt Ronaldo is capable of scoring a Group One result this season – it is just a question over which distance.
The three-year-old son of Ribchester made an impression as a juvenile last season, winning his first two starts before running fifth in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), and Patterson said he has returned in superb order.
He is set to resume in the CR Grace Ltd & Waterforce Sprint (1000m) at Trentham on Saturday, which Patterson is warning is short of his best distance as he expects him to furnish into a top stayer.
“He is a lovely horse, but just a word of caution for the punters, it is looking like he is going to be a stayer,” Patterson said. “He is an unbelievably relaxed horse. 1000m could be short for him on Saturday but I have added blinkers onto him to try and spark him up a little.”
The Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November remains Ronaldo’s key target this spring, however, Patterson said he may need to change tack and set his sights towards Derby targets in autumn if his early assumptions are correct.
“He will head to the 2000 Guineas as long as he is showing that turn of foot,” Patterson said. “If he is not showing that turn of foot, I will probably start looking at three-year-old staying races pretty quickly.”
Later on the card, Group One winner One Bold Cat will contest the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) in preparation for next month’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings.
“He has done really well since he last raced and I couldn’t be happier with him,” Patterson said. “I don’t expect him to be winning from that draw (18), but I can see him going a big race.
“As long as he is powering home well at the finish, he will go on to the Livamol from there.”
Stablemate Jaegar was first on the ballot, but he has been withdrawn from Saturday’s race after drawing barrier 17, and he will now take aim at the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham next month.
“He is a young horse and I have only just got him going,” Patterson said. “He was out in a tricky draw and there is plenty of time for him and there is plenty of nice racing for him, so I thought I would leave it and go to an open 1500m at Te Rapa next Friday and then progress to the Thompson Handicap, all going well.”
Patterson is also set to line-up Thorax in the Nufarm & Property Brokers 1400 and Meloni in the Manawatu Toyota & John Turkington Forestry 1600.
“I am really happy with Thorax,” Patterson said. “He had a really good run fresh-up, he didn’t get all favours, and he has trained on well. It is a bit of a sticky gate (14), but it is the last race so it might not be a problem. He is super well and I would be disappointed if he didn’t go a really good race.
“I can’t fault Meloni. He galloped with One Bold Cat and has been going as good as him. He had a good run at Wanganui and was very unlucky. If he turns up on the day he will be hard to beat.”
