Double Makes It A Winter Of Pleasure For Pattillo
Sun Herald
Sunday June 19, 2005
JOCKEY Tony Pattillo continued his remarkable winter carnival form when central Queensland sprinter Nessuno caused an upset win in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1200m) at Ipswich yesterday.
Pattillo, who earlier won the $100,000 Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) on the Rex Lipp-trained Au Chocolat, has been in sparkling form despite limited opportunities in the major winter races this year. Nessuno ($9) held on for a nose win over Victorian mare Beautiful Gem ($6). Early leader Tornado Alley ($10) was a long-head away third in a blanket finish. Pattillo produced the ride of his life when he won the group 2 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Spuruson during the carnival. However, he conceded he would not have been surprised if Rockhampton trainer John Wigginton had sacked him after Nessuno finished fourth to Encierro at Ipswich on June 1. "I did everything wrong," Pattillo said. "I made bad decisions and got trapped four deep. "John was thinking about running him in the Newmarket at Rockhampton yesterday and he told me I could ride him in whichever race he started in." Wigginton is the leading trainer in Rockhampton and was overjoyed with his greatest moment in racing. Despite some patchy performances in Brisbane, Wigginton never lost faith in his five-year-old. "Credit to Tony [Pattillo], he timed his run to perfection," Wigginton said. "This is my biggest win by a long way." Wigginton, 47, has been training for only eight years and has 20 horses in work. "Before I started training I was a mechanic, a butcher and whatever," he said. He is now likely to back-up Nessuno in the listed Glasshouse Sprint (1400m) at Caloundra on July 2. Jockey Scott Seamer thought Beautiful Gem had done enough on the line to get the photo decision. "I thought we just got there," he said. "We had a good run and got a lovely suck through the race but full marks to Tony." Pattillo was also seen at his best earlier when Au Chocolat ($4.40) sat handy most of the way before holding on for a half-head win over Kind Spirits ($16) with Charmview ($4) a long-head away third in the Gai Waterhouse Classic. Au Chocolat, a failure behind Our Sweet Moss in the Dane Ripper Quality (1300m) at Eagle Farm last start, got a perfect run from her rails draw, tracking up behind the favourite Wasimah ($3.60) before hitting the front in the straight.
© 2005 Sun Herald
