First Southern Hemisphere winner for Father Patrick

Father Patrick is on the board down-under, with his first Southern Hemisphere starter La Reina Del Sur an impressive winner on debut at Addington Raceway on Friday evening.

A consummate professional, the Purdon/Rasmussen trained juvenile bided her time near the back the field early on, moved up to sit in the one-one mid-race and then sprinted home strongly in the straight to down race favourite Royal Del by half a length.

Bred by Canterbury’s Trevor Casey, La Reina Del Sur is out of the 2012 NZ 3YO Trotting Filly of the Year and 2013 NZ 4YO Trotting Mare of the Year, Escapee – a daughter of Sundon whom won both the Group 1 NZ Trotting Derby and the Group 1 Northern Trotting Derby as a 3-year-old and was a two-time Harness Jewels Ruby runner-up.