Tudor Winkle to show his worth in Pat O'Shea

By Jordan Gerrans

As a previous winner of the time-honoured Pat O’Shea Plate at Clifford Park, Brisbane trainer Paul Butterworth knows all too well about the significance of the event at Toowoomba.

It was Menari Magic who handed the Butterworth camp the 2021 edition of the feature event for juveniles.

And, with the race shifted to coincide with the King of the Mountain program in 2025, Butterworth has a colt who has followed a similar path to what Menari Magic did to the rich sprint.

Tudor Winkle has put in two credible trials ahead of his race day debut on Friday and will need to tangle with a wide gate over 1200 metres.

“It was a similar sort of profile to this bloke this year, Menari Magic had two trials for two seconds leading into the race,” Butterworth said.

“We went up there thinking she was a decent chance but for her to win it, it was a nice surprise, because we thought she could run top four but she really toughed it out and won.

“It was a good experience and hopefully we can replicate it with this fella.

“Pat O’Shea was a legend up in Toowoomba and to win any race like that in someone’s honour – it is a big thrill.

“For a small stable like ours, we celebrated, that is for sure.”

Ridden by Mark Du Plessis, Menari Magic toughed it out to win the 2021 event ahead of Mishani Warfare in a tight finish.

Menari Magic would go on to win three more races and be placed on five other occasions from 26 career efforts.

Previously known as the Hopeful Plate, the race was renamed after an icon of the Darling Downs, Pat O’Shea.

The much-loved broadcaster passed away at the age of 64 in 2015.

O’Shea had battled ill health for some time but he continued calling up until not long before he died.

O’Shea read the sports news on local television from 1978 to 2012 and was a passionate racing man, calling his beloved Weetwood Handicap 29 times.

Pat’s son James O'Shea has followed in his footsteps and has been prominent in the media throughout his career.

Toowoomba Turf Club CEO Grant Sheather said the race being run on the KOTM program this year for the first time was a fitting touch for the revered broadcaster.

The race was previously the first two-year-old race of the season.

“Pat O’Shea is held in the hearts of everyone here in Toowoomba,” Sheather said.

“The club renamed the Hopeful Plate to the Pat O’Shea Plate in honour of his contribution to the local racing industry. It is fantastic to have the two-year-old race here.

“If you turned on the television in Toowoomba most nights, or if it was Sky Channel, you would hear the dulcet tones of Pat.

“You could hear him and know the race was at Toowoomba.”

With a Pat O’Shea Plate on his resume, as well as a Group 1 J.J. Atkins back in 2017 with Capital Gain, it is obvious that juvenile racing is key for Butterworth and his barn.

While it has been a slow season on that front for the Brisbane conditioner, he is hopeful of finishing the 2025-26 term with a flourish.

“We target horses that could make two-year-olds but if they do not stand up, we do not push them,” he said.

“This year has been really lean for our two-year-olds, but we have a really nice bunch of two-year-olds that will take a bit of time.

“So hopefully in the back end of this season, we will see a few nice horses step out for the stable.”

He identified the unraced Meaner Than Most and Not Telling as well as an unraced son of Harry Angel as a few from his team that he is looking forward to getting to the races.

Tudor Winkle was a $140,000 purchase by loyal Butterworth client Jeffrey Bentley.

The form out of the Pierata colt’s two trials suggests he will be competitive on Friday.

He finished second to Thee Creek in his first trial who has gone on to be competitive in the recent QTIS Jewel series.

Tudor Winkle was defeated by Guac On, who appears to be a smart galloper, in his second trial earlier this month. 

“He has needed a bit of time in the paddock but he is ready to go now,” Butterworth said of Tudor Winkle.

“His two trials have been workmanlike; he is very similar to Menari Magic and I think he is a better horse than Menari Magic.

“To me, he is a horse that wants the ground so 1200 metres up that hill first-up should suit.

“If there is a few horses who are overdoing it early, he will be really motoring late – I like the way he profiles there.

“I think he is a horse that might stretch out to a mile later in the season. I think he will be extremely competitive.”