Be it a lingering effect from a quick trip to Hong Kong or waning enthusiasm for the track, Royal Patronage fell short of anticipated results during the spring.

Back for the autumn preparation, co-trainer Adrian Bott believed altering the seven-year-old stallion’s regimen could reignite his drive, and fortunately, he had the ideal assistant – his spouse and skilled equestrienne, 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.”

Remaining an intact stallion, Royal Patronage was lately acquired by Western Australia’s Darling View Thoroughbreds, operators of a select stud including Playing God.

With his future beckoning, Royal Patronage might be making his farewell appearance in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, and should that prove true, Bott holds high hopes for a memorable exit.

“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.”

Royal Patronage boasts three victories from six fresh starts, capped by his Group 1 success in last year’s Canterbury Stakes (1300m).

He has secured barrier six in the All Aged with Tim Clark aboard.

Explore the top online bookmakers for All Aged Stakes betting markets.