Royal Patronage faces possible last run in All Aged Stakes

If a post-Hong Kong journey fatigue or diminished passion for competition explained it, Royal Patronage underdelivered in the spring season.

Resuming for autumn duties, co-trainer Adrian Bott opted to revamp the seven-year-old's daily schedule to boost his concentration, and handily, he enlisted his wife and expert horse handler, Jess.

"My wife has done a lot of work with him. A lot of flat work and dressage work," Bott said.

"She is very good at that side of things and working with them.

We've tried as much as we can to refresh his training and mindset and his approach to it all and he seems back having confidence in himself.

So I can't take credit."

Still a stallion, Royal Patronage has been bought recently by Darling View Thoroughbreds in Western Australia, home to a small band of stallions like Playing God.

As his new phase approaches, the All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick this Saturday could represent Royal Patronage's swan song, a prospect that leaves Bott upbeat about a strong finish.

"His biggest runs in Australian have been first-up," he said.

"Sometimes it is hard to go against that depth of field first-up, against some that are deep into their campaigns and have had the runs and are fitter.

But you fall back and look at his record, and that's when he has performed really well and in that distance range as well. He can be effective."

From six first-up attempts, Royal Patronage has triumphed in three, most notably claiming Group 1 honours in last season's Canterbury Stakes (1300m).

Barrier six is his draw for the All Aged, with Tim Clark in the saddle.

Check Australian betting sites for the best racing odds on the All Aged Stakes.