Royal Patronage shows his class with tough win in Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick

After bursting on to the Australian racing scene last spring, US import Royal Patronage has gone to another level with his upset victory in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes.

Royal Patronage wins the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes following a battle with Here To Shock. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Royal Patronage has travelled the globe but stamped himself as a bona fide Sydney autumn star with a sensational maiden Group 1 success at Royal Randwick.

The son of Wootton Bassett was bred in France, started his career in the UK and also raced successfully in the US.

But he now calls Australia home and it looks set to be where connections see the best of him.

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Royal Patronage, now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, burst on to the Australian racing scene last spring with a first-up victory in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes.

On Saturday, Royal Patronage went to another level with a determined effort to outgun Here To Shock to score in the Group 1 $750,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m).

“He’s an incredible horse, you know, to do what he did in his first start in Australia and first preparation, I thought was, you know, one of the most forward Europeans that we’ve had over,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said.

“I always felt there would be some improvement to an extent, this preparation from him, and we’ve seen that today.”

“He’s come and won an important weight-for-age Group 1 race for him and being an entire that’s going to help his value going forward, but I still feel there’s a bit more to come from him.”

Royal Patronage WINS the G1 Canterbury Stakes in a really tough win! 🏆@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/Dsi07LyLOH

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025

A positive ride from an awkward draw proved crucial for Royal Patronage.

Jockey Tim Clark landed outside Here To Shock at the tip of the field and the pair were able to control the race from the outset.

They paired off from the 300m mark to fight it out with Royal Patronage ($20) was doing his best work late to overhaul the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained galloper, scoring by a neck.

Grahame Begg’s Magic Time ($4.40 favourite) had to wait for her opportunity in the straight and sprinted home for third.

• What the jockeys said: Canterbury Stakes

“He just had to elevate to a new level today, as it was obviously a very strong race,” Clark said after snaring his 25th career Group 1.

“Once he got into his spot, the speed was lovely, he was comfortable the whole way, he did fill me with confidence throughout the race and I knew when I got into a dogfight late he was going to be there for me.”

It was Waterhouse’s eighth win in the Canterbury Stakes and first since joining forces with Adrian Bott.

The Canterbury Stakes was the first in a run of three Group 1 tilts this autumn for Royal Patronage with Waterhouse and Bott set to plot a course towards George Ryder Stakes in two weeks’ time.

Tim Clark gives the thumbs up after winning the Canterbury Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

A date with the $4m Doncaster Mile on April 5 at Royal Randwick looms as the likely grand final for Royal Patronage with bookies now rating him an $11 chance.

“We’ve always had a big circle around the Doncaster, felt kicking off here and through the George Ryder would be a nice style of preparation,” Bott said.

“We’re open-minded how far to stretch him last time in, but feel that mile’s probably his real sweet spot.”

“He’s proven today he can sprint well fresh, which he did last preparation, so I thought he’d run a big race today, but in fairness, I thought he might have been better suited once we do get him deeper into his preparation.”

Here To Shock won his maiden Group 1 in New Zealand last start and was game to just miss out on his second.

Jockey Nash Rawiller said Here To Shock “certainly didn’t let us down” after acknowledging everything went to plan in the run.

Ceolwulf got his campaign back on track with a creditable fifth after missing the chance to run in last Saturday’s Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m).

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus thought Ceolwulf “is ready to rock and roll back to the appropriate distances”.

Originally published as Royal Patronage shows his class with tough win in Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick