Mitchell Pateman is trusting the addition of blinkers can turn Mojo Rhythm into a formidable winning force in Sunday’s Group 3 Northam Stakes (1300m).
Pateman hopes a gear change can help Mojo Rhythm secure his second Group 3 success after winning the Peters Stakes (1500m) last December.
Mojo Rhythm finished second in the Old Comrade Stakes (1600m) two weeks ago, cut down by the fast-finishing Tin Chooks after finding the front 50m from home.
Looking for an extra edge from the Old Comrade Stakes, Pateman said he’s hoping blinkers will do the trick for Mojo Rhythm when he fronts up at Northam.
“He’s going super and his last run was really good,” Pateman said on Tabradio.
“He looked to me like he switched off when he hit the front, he burst through them.
“I thought he was home and got out of the seat and quickly got back in the seat.
“He probably hit the front a little bit early and that’s why we’ve put the blinkers on him.
“Whether he’s having a little bit of a think about things when he hits the front I’m not sure.
“He’s a horse that every race that I’ve won with him he sort of guns them down and not have ones gunning him down.
“We probably were a little disappointed he got beat, but the blinkers go on and he’s never had blinkers in his life.
“What I’d seen Saturday morning with blinkers on I think he’s going to run a huge race.
“We’ve always wanted to put the blinkers on him, but never got the chance.
“This is the right race to put them on with.”
Mojo Rhythm is searching for the first win of his campaign.
Before the Old Comrade Stakes, he ran third behind Mood Swings in the Listed Grandstand Cup (1500m).
Before acceptances the Playing God five-year-old has drawn barrier three for jockey, Jarrad Noske, a dual winner of the Northam Stakes.
In consecutive years Noske booted home Battle Hero (2018) and Rock Magic (2019) for Chris and Michael Gangemi.
