By David Nagel
Champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman added significantly to his lustrous career at Sandown on Sunday after piloting Stern Idol to victory in the $100,000 Australian Steeplechase (3900m).
The time-honoured trophy is of one of the very few to have escaped the clutches of Pateman over the years; with Stern Idol holding off a late challenge from the Michael Walker-trained Leaderboard to win by three-quarters of a length on the line.
Pateman dug deep over the concluding stages, with Stern Idol showing great determination to fend off the challenge of Leaderboard; who carried seven kilos less over the marathon distance.
Pateman was all smiles after the race, having shared the victory with one of his favourite horses and great mate and trainer Ciaron Maher.
The gun jockey praised Maher for his meticulous preparation heading into the race.
“It makes it even more special on this horse, he’s amazing, and just testament to the training to,” Pateman said post-race.
“He could have run in steeplechases earlier in the year and carried big weights, and he might have won one, but that’s too hard to do all the time.
“He (Ciaron) ran him in races where he was better weighted, today was a target, and the way he settled today; it was like he knew where he was, he knew the trip he had to run out and he was really chilled.
“Once again, just testament to the horse and trainer…it’s unreal.”
Usually one to over race, Stern Idol settled beautifully in the run, saving one almighty effort to crack the field open at the second last jump.
“He was in his own rhythm, he travelled sweetly, and he absolutely winged the second last,” Pateman said.
“If you could get some footage of where he took off from and where he landed…it would be a couple of car lengths.
“But it was pretty lonely after the last, with 73 (kilos), and knowing that the second horse had six or seven kilos less…it was awesome.
“He was maintaining his gallop but couldn’t go any faster because of the weight.
“Don’t worry, I was thinking I’ve never won this race before and the Australian Hurdle and Steeplechase are absolutely time-honoured events….so it’s super special”
Stable representative Jack Turnbull said it was great to see the Maher/Pateman combination finally break through for one of the biggest races on the jumps calendar.
“That’s Steve’s (Pateman) first Australian Steeple and as we all know, Ciaron and Steve are best mates, so to win these races together, and for the team, it’s a huge achievement,” Turnbull said.
“He carried a lot of weight; he jumped fantastic we thought and he got the job done.
“He was seeing them well, he steps over hurdles like pebbles and sometimes he just busts through them, but today he had a really nice rhythm to how he was going about it and that gives you confidence.”
Turnbull said Stern Idol would now more than likely be set for the $125,000 Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown on Sunday August 3.
“He will go the set weights path, so whether that’s the Crisp; we’ll have discussions with the group and Ciaron obviously, but it’s just good to see him back to winning ways,” he said.
“He’s been in really good form but it just hasn’t worked out for him.”
In other highlights on the eight-race card, The Cunning Fox won the Australian Hurdle for Ballarat trainers Patrick and Michelle Payne, while Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood continued his magnificent recent run of form when Diwali saluted in the Listed $175,000 Sandown Cup (3200m).
Jockey Joe Bowditch took the lead at the 200-metre mark and careered away for a three-length victory on the line.
