A brilliant ride by Peter Mertens helped Testa My Patience defeat odds-on favourite Launay and make it four wins on the trot at Caulfield.
With stable jockey Craig Newitt riding in Adelaide on Saturday, Mertens picked up the mount and was able to cross from the outside barrier, 13, and have him one out and one back in the Cath White Memorial Hcp (1600m).
Launay ($1.85 fav) was on his inside behind the leader Utah Saints and Mertens went for home on Testa My Patience at the top of the straight where he opened up a break.
Launay did run on strongly but failed by a half-length with Belgietto ($9.50) three-quarters of a length away third.
Mick Nolan, stable foreman for trainer Mick Price, said Testa My Patience, unbeaten in four runs this preparation, had come back better than ever.
“He’s come back a really nice horse. He’s probably the best looking horse in the yard. He’s thriving and is spot-on and his work this week has probably been the best its been,” he said.
“The outside alley put a bit of a dampener on things but it was a great ride from Pete. He might be one of the veterans but he hasn’t lost it.”
Mertens, 48, had ridden Testa My Patience earlier in his career for a win at Cranbourne and a second at Flemington and was happy to get back on the Testa Rossa four-year-old.
Mertens said it was a bit of “pot luck” that he was able to come across from the wide gate into the position he was in.
“When I saw Launay stuck on the inside I had a bit of a chuckle,” he said.
“He (Launay’s rider James Winks) was wanting to come out and I wanted to keep him in for as long as I could.
“When I decided to take off my mount dropped his ears and went.”
Testa My Patience has now won five of his nine starts.
AAP TURF
