Fitzpatrick chasing first Bathurst Gold success

Harness racing reinsman Gavin Fitzpatrick has won a number of the feature juvenile events in New South Wales, thanks largely to his association with Lombo Pocket Watch.

During Lombo Pocket Watch's time with the Fitzpatrick stable, the talented grey started on 58 occasions and Fitzpatrick drove him 57 times, only jumping off the colt on one occasion, the Bathurst Gold Crown – a race Lombo Pocket Watch won narrowly. Ironically Fitzpatrick drove the stablemate Lombo Mandingo and he finished second, less than half a length behind Lombo Pocket Watch.

"It was a big call to get off Lombo Pocket Watch in the Bathurst Gold Crown but Lombo Mandingo had drawn in front of Pocket Watch and at that stage Lombo Mandingo was a bit of a handful in his career and with Blake unavailable I took the drive on Mandingo," Fitzpatrick said.

"Soon after the start Lombo Pocket Watch landed in the one-one and I remember thinking I'm on the wrong horse because I knew from there, Pocket Watch was going to win."

Fitzpatrick is hoping to finally etch his name onto the Gold Crown trophy on Saturday night. He will take the drive on Weona Sizzler, an impressive heat winner trained by his father Paul.

"Dad bought him at the Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sale in Sydney, we trained his mother Weona Badgirl and she was a handy filly that I drove when she finished third in the Victoria Oaks in 2008.

"Weona Sizzler has always been our standout young horse, whether or not that is good enough to win on Saturday night is another matter but he's always shown he has had plenty of ability."

Weona Sizzler has won two of his four career starts and Fitzpatrick was most impressed with his Gold Crown heat win because of the amount of work he was forced to do.

"I was really pleased because it was the first time I had really asked him to work out of the gate and he hit the line strongly and ran away from them in the run to the finish. I think he is getting better and better with each run but Saturday night will be his biggest test so far.

"I was happy to draw the front row and I'm going to have to go forward in the early stages because if I don't then I'm just about conceding defeat. He has drawn between the two favourites and that might turn out to be a really good gate."

Fitzpatrick expects Astride and Bettor Be Gold to be the hardest to beat although he believes there are several other winning chances in the event.

"They look the top two from the heats last week but I don't think there is a lot between the entire field to be honest and it will come down to luck in running.

"After Bathurst it is off to the APG series and hopefully he continues on the upward spiral that he is on currently. There is ten days between Saturday and his next run which will be plenty of time to recover."

Fitzpatrick's father Paul is no stranger to Bathurst success having won the 1996 Gold Tiara with Douglas Dream and the 2006 Gold Crown with Lombo Pocket Watch. Could the pattern continue in 2016? Find out on Saturday night at 9:23pm.

For the complete race programme click here.

Greg Hayes