Steve Pateman made it nine wins from his last 11 rides over the jumps when New Zealander Ponce scored an easy win in The Champ Hurdle (3000m) at Sandown today.
Pateman, 25, who landed his second Tommy Corrigan medal for excellence riding over the jumps last season, has won at his last five rides over the jumps, two of those on the Kevin Myers-trained Ponce who made it two in a row today.
Sent out $1.75 favourite, the Lord Ballina six-year-old trailed the freegoing Sir Heelan ($15) before racing away for a seven-length win from that gelding with In Detention ($7) four lengths away third.
"He was impressive. He cruised when he won his first start (this preparation, by eight lengths at Hamilton) but today he had pressure from another horse," Pateman said.
