Taranaki mare The Dutch Dame broke through for a deserved maiden victory at Hāwera on Sunday when taking out the Racing Again Sunday Sept 3rd (2100m).
The daughter of Redwood had been runner-up in her two prior outings and trainer Robbie Patterson believes a gear change assisted the six-year-old’s cause.
“She deserved it and it was great to finally get that win with her. I took the blinkers off and put the shadow roll on, which made a bit of difference. It made her find the line better instead of her head going up. She is a bit of a quirky horse.”
The Dutch Dame will now be set for a home assignment in a fortnight’s time when Patterson is hoping she can feature in the finish once more.
“There is a special maiden for her back in New Plymouth on Saturday week, so we will go back there. Hopefully, she picks up a bit of confidence from the win,” he said.