A regional West Australian trainer is on the verge of an extraordinary milestone as he chases Broome Cup success.
Darryn Pateman is regarded as an unstoppable force in country racing - and for good reason.
If successful with one of his four runners on Saturday, it will mark his 100th Cup victory in WA, a remarkable achievement that underscores his dominance and longevity in regional racing.
Based in Karnup, south of Perth, Pateman has spent more than four decades crisscrossing the state, building a reputation as one of WA’s most prolific and respected trainers.
Pateman has a strong team in the $100,000 Broome Cup, a race he won for the first time with Ombudsman in 2022.
In a field of 14 starters, Pateman will saddle up Gambler’s Gold, Divine Mercy, Hafey and Masatora.
“It always does mean a lot winning these country cups,” Pateman told Racing WA.
“I’ve been around a while, so you have to keep attacking.”
Pateman said Gambler’s Gold likely represented his best chance to bring up the century.
“He was runner-up last year … so he has been there and done it,” Pateman said.
“Everything he’s done has been perfect. This race has been his main aim since we’ve come up here.”