Weight the only worry for One Bold Cat in Waverley Cup

One Bold Cat has ticked every box for Robbie Patterson so far in his latest preparation, and provided he copes with his 62-kilogram topweight, the New Plymouth trainer believes he will be hard to beat in Sunday’s $50,000 Steelform Roofing Group Waverley Cup.

Previously a nine-time winner all the way up to Group One level, the eight-year-old began the 2026-27 season with an eighth in a 1400-metre open handicap at New Plymouth on September 5. He showed good improvement two weeks later with a fifth under 59 kilograms in the Gr.3 Metric Mile at Trentham.

“I was very happy with that performance, especially under the weight,” Patterson said. “He was second-up over a mile and on a bog track, but he ran home strongly and pulled up really well afterwards, so we couldn’t have asked for more.

“I thought he was pretty primed for a big run in the Staphanos at Rotorua last Sunday, but that didn’t work out with the meeting being abandoned.

“But I think he’s in good shape for Sunday. He’s been working well and he looks great. He’s carrying more weight now as an older horse. I think he’ll run well, as long as he copes with the weight.”

Sunset Boulevard is the second-highest-weighted runner on Sunday at 57.5 kilograms – four and a half kilograms less than One Bold Cat – with McKhan on 55, Trav on 54.5 and every other runner on 54 kilograms.

“We thought about using a claim, but we would only have been able to book a one-kilogram claimer, and I don’t think that makes enough of a difference to make it worthwhile,” Patterson said. “I’d rather have Gryllsy (Craig Grylls) on him.”

One Bold Cat has had one previous start over the 2200-metre distance of Sunday’s race, winning the Listed Marton Cup in January.

Patterson has nominated him for next month’s Gr.3 New Zealand Cup, but has yet to make a decision on whether to contest the Riccarton two-miler.

“Whether he’ll stay two miles is the question, but I don’t have any concerns about the 2200 metres this weekend,” Patterson said. “We’ll make a decision on the rest of his campaign after this weekend, and we’ll be guided by his performance.

“The 2600-metre race on the first day (the Metropolitan Trophy) could be on his radar, and then we’ll see about the Cup.”

One Bold Cat is one of five runners at Waverley on Sunday for Patterson.

“Meloni is still learning his ringcraft, but with the blinkers on for the first time last start, he got the job done very nicely,” Patterson said. “He should only improve with the more racing he has, but against that sort of field this weekend, he should be very competitive.

“Oh Maimai is in the same race. She’s working well and ran a good race last time.

“With One Bold Floozie, we’ve changed the training around a little bit. We’ve taken her out to the farm where we do pre-training, and we’ve given her some time at the beach. The ability is there, so we’re just hoping changing things up a little bit will work the oracle with her.”