Ringo wasn’t the only one celebrating after Miki Two Toes gave Lark Hill trainer Anne King her first city winner on Saturday.

The Patronize gelding ran down front-runner Right Honourable in the closing stages of the Ringo’s Birthday Hcp (1400m) at Ascot.

King has prepared over 100 winners although the majority have been in the Pilbara.  “There were a few problems with ‘Miki’ early on,” King’s husband John said.  “But he’s really hitting his straps now.”

Miki Two Toes (4g Patronize – Nippon Pearl by Marooned) won a Bunbury maiden this time last year and then doubled up at Belmont during the winter season.  He was with Sharon Miller back then – King was in the north-west winning her third Port Hedland Cup in the last four years.

“He came back and only got beaten a head by Go Ken and then had no luck second-up after drawing wide,” John King said at Ascot.  “We’ve also got his 2yo sister by Patronize at home.”

Their dam Nippon Pearl has a filly foal by He’s A Decoy and was bred back to him last year.

Patronize (Redoute’s Choice) is a three-quarter brother to Exceed And Excel and he stands at Darling View Thoroughbreds in Mundijong.  Owners Clive and Brent Atwell built up his book last year after joining forces with Yarradale Stud.

Among his mares in foal is French bred Rossiya (Machiavellian).  Her 3yo filly Girl In Flight takes on Group 2 company in the VRC Kewney Stakes at Flemington this Saturday.

– Karl Patterson