Young Newcastle trainer Patrick Cleave knows what it takes to succeed after working for some of Australian racing's heavyweight operations.
Now he's hoping back-to-back wins and a first victory at his home track can prove the kick-start he needs to carve out his own place in the training ranks.
The 28-year-old former Kiwi has been in Newcastle for three years, working for half that time at the stables of top trainer Kris Lees before going out of his own with 10 boxes close to the Broadmeadow track.
Prior to that, Cleave came to Australia at age 20 to work at Lloyd Williams' Macedon Lodge. He went on to the Godolphin stables in Melbourne before joining Peter and Paul Snowden's team for stints at Flemington and Randwick.
"Moving over from New Zealand, I always wanted to work for only the better trainers, because there's no point half-arsing it," Cleave said.
"I'm a builder by trade and when I finished my trade, I shouted myself 10 per cent in a racehorse and just fell in love with it from there.
"I wanted to learn more and get involved, so I thought I'd go to Australia and have a good crack at it."
Omar gave Cleave his first winner, at Scone in November last year, and he produced again at Newcastle on Saturday, racing outside leader No Statement in a 900m benchmark 64 handicap before edging him late.
That win followed the success of Onthe Eighthday a week earlier at Port Macquarie to continue a strong start to the season for Cleave, who has four horses in his stable and hopes for more support.
"We snagged our first winner at home on the weekend and the team has been going pretty good this season," Cleave said.
"We've got only a small team but we've had seven starters this season for two wins, two seconds and a third.
"All we need is a chance and we know we can get the job done."
His recent winners will now enjoy a break.
"At that 900m distance, Omar's pretty genuine and his record is good over it," he said.
"We paid only $14,000 for him and he's just on the $100,000 mark for us now, so he's been a good money-spinner. He will come back for a $75,000 900m race at Albury in March, that's his target and will be right up his alley.
"[Onthe Eighthday] won by six and a half length over 2000 metres, so he's got a bit of potential as a stayer going forward.
"He will have a few months off. He needs a bit of time. He's still very immature but he's got potential and could be up to city grade."
At Muswellbrook on Monday, Scone trainer Scott Singleton scored a double with four-year-old Nicconi geldings Shikanic and Moorabinda Mick.
Shikanic broke through at his fifth start in the 900m maiden with Mitchell Bell aboard before Moorabinda Mick won a photo-finish in the 1500m benchmark 66 handicap with Jeff Penza riding.
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