Sydney trainer Gary Portelli has Patronize 2yo colt Patron Black ready for a return to racing for a much-anticipated second campaign.

Portelli rates Patron Black a stakes horse of the future ahead of a first-up assignment in a Class 1 over 1000m at Hawkesbury next Thursday. He was never out of second gear edging out blueblood colt Nordicus in a Rosehill trial on June 8.

Winona Costin let him coast to the line and the caller agreed saying she was; “swinging against the colt and not knocking him around”. The runner-up is a son of Dundeel and Champion Filly Miss Finland.

Watch trial replay here: 

Patron Black (pictured with stable foreman ‘Cracka’ Miles) drew the short straw bumping into Golden Slipper winner Estijaab first-up at Randwick in January. He travelled to Canberra a fortnight later and responded to win the Black Opal Stakes Hospitality 2yo Hcp (1000m).

Portelli found him in the Western Breeders’ Alliance consignment at the 2017 Magic Millions. “I bought him with Vin Cox for $46,000 in WA last year,” he said. “I picked up Secret Lady in Perth, too, and I will keep going back there for sure.”

Patronize, who stands at Darling View Thoroughbreds for a $4,400 fee, sired Patron Black from Flemington winner Red Belly Black (Rock of Gibraltar). The mare’s Patronize filly will attract Portelli’s attention at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions and she’s in foal to G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Lucky Street.

On the local front this month, Patronize has sired WA Day Cup winner Red Army and his Goldfields gelding Little Fish completed an unbeaten hat-trick at Kalgoorlie last Sunday.