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Robbie Patterson had hoped to have a two-pronged attack in Wednesday’s Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders Stakes (1400m), but initial-favourite The Hottie has been ruled out of the contest, leaving Tanzanite Rose to carry the stable’s hopes.
The Hottie was a leading chance in the fillies and mares feature after a stunning victory fresh-up in the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders' Stakes (1400m), and after travelling to Riccarton Park, she struck bad luck just a day out from the race.
"She just pulled a plate working this morning (Tuesday) and stood on a toe clip. It is just one of those things," Patterson said.
"She was flying, but that is racing, I am used to it. She will live to fight another day.
"We will bring her home and get her ready for the Manawatu Challenge Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) near Christmas time, that will be a nice race for her."
Meanwhile, stablemate Tanzanite Rose will take her place in the field coming off a luckless run fresh-up at Trentham last month, where she was badly checked on the outside rail, dashing any winning prospects.
"The gates just shut on her at Trentham when she was going to storm into the race, but she's taken no harm from that," Patterson said.
"We jumped her out last week as well and she was really good. Ciel Butler (jockey) does all of the work on her and she actually thinks she's going better than The Hottie at the moment, and I don't know what we can take out of that, because The Hottie has been there and done that. Either way, she's going really well.
"We always had an eye on this race for her, it was a shame about that hiccup the other day, but the owner was still keen to go down and we thought she was going to figure in that race anyway.
"She's a six-year-old mare now and we would like to get any black-type we can with her."
With the recent scratching of The Hottie and local mare Adannaya, the market has compressed with Third Decree now on top at $2.60, ahead of Acquarello ($3.60) and Goldie's Chance ($4.60).
Later in the week, Patterson will also be represented in the Gr.3 Martin Collins 161st New Zealand Cup (3200m) by Mary Louise. A daughter of The Bold One, Mary Louise is proven at the two miles having won the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) in January, but Patterson had hoped to see a more forward showing from her of late leading into Saturday's showpiece.
"She's been a bit plain this prep, we would've preferred to go into this race in better form really but after her last run, we got the vet to go over her and there were a couple of problems that we have treated," he said.
"She jumped out last week and was beside Ladies Man all the way up the straight and was going just as well, so we thought that was good enough form to warrant heading down.
"She gets in well at the weights, a Wellington Cup winner getting in at 53kg, and there looks like there is a bit of rain about too.
"There is a lot of things in her favour, but on the way she's going this campaign, we're just hoping."
Mary Louise is currently rated a $18 hope in the Cup, with Listed Metropolitan Handicap (2600m) runner-up Beavertown Boy atop of the market at $4.