Trainer Joe Pride says he doesn't like putting horses in races where they haven't earned their chance.But with two stakes victories under her belt this preparation, Pride is more than happy to give Patronyme a crack in the small but select field for the Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.The lightly-raced mare will be having her first try in Group One company in the race Pride won four years ago with Red Oog.Patronyme defeated Beaded and Melito to win the Group Three Birthday Card Sta
Trainer Joe Pride says he doesn't like putting horses in races where they haven't earned their chance.
But with two stakes victories under her belt this preparation, Pride is more than happy to give Patronyme a crack in the small but select field for the Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
The lightly-raced mare will be having her first try in Group One company in the race Pride won four years ago with Red Oog.
Patronyme defeated Beaded and Melito to win the Group Three Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) last start and Pride pointed her towards the TJ Smith.
"Being a breeding proposition the next level up for her, being a Group winner already, is to place or win a Group One so that's why she's here (in the TJ Smith)," Pride said.
"She's not particularly attractively placed but she's a competitive mare who puts herself in the right position in races.
"If she does that tomorrow and things go her way I can see her running in the first three."
The TJ Smith has attracted only seven starters but among them is last-start Group One Newmarket Handicap winner Wanted, the Greg Eurell-trained Mic Mac and Sydney's glamour mare Hot Danish.
Pride said Patronyme, who bounced back from a lacklustre second-up run to win at Rosehill last start, heads into the weight-for-age contest fourth-up and at her peak.
"You sort of dream with these horses of getting to the top," he said.
"I don't like putting horses in there that haven't earned their chance but she's won two black-type races this time in, it's a smallish field which we anticipated and I think she deserves her chance.
"She never lets the team down and I think she'll run well."
Patronyme has won six of her 13 starts including the Listed Triscay Stakes (1200m) as well as the Birthday Card.
Hot Danish is the favourite for the TJ Smith in her bid to win a first Group One at her seventh attempt.
She was the $2.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet on Friday, just ahead of Mic Mac at $3.20 and Wanted at $3.40.
Mic Mac is unbeaten in two first-up attempts and, like Pride, Eurell has also won the race in the past with Apache Cat in 2008.