Excited ahead of having his first overseas runner when Royal Patronage contests the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on 27 April, Adrian Bott hopes to join co-trainer Gai Waterhouse in celebrating a monumental breakthrough.

Waterhouse, 70, and Bott, 37, formed a training in partnership in 2016/17 and have since conquered some of Australia’s most important races including the G1 Golden Slipper (1200m), G1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and G1 VRC Oaks (2500m).

Included in the pair’s 27 Group 1 credits is Royal Patronage’s Canterbury Stakes (1300m) triumph on 8 March and Bott hopes the European-bred six-year-old can deliver a first Group 1 win on foreign soil for Waterhouse, who has previously campaigned abroad in New Zealand, Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates, France and Hong Kong.

Royal Patronage will be Waterhouse’s first runner in Hong Kong since her champion warhorse Grand Armee finished 11th in the 2005 G1 QEII Cup (2000m) behind Vengeance Of Rain in a star-studded field also containing Super Kid, Bullish Luck, Elvstroem and Elegant Fashion.

“This is my first overseas runner,” Bott said. “I’m looking forward to next week, it will be exciting. It does bring its own set of challenges but I feel he is the right type of horse and the timing is right to take him to Hong Kong.

“He will be going fourth-up into the Hong Kong race and is bringing the right form.

“He won very well first-up at Group 1 level (Canterbury Stakes) over 1300m, he was very competitive in the (G1) George Ryder Stakes (fourth) at 1500m when he wasn’t beaten far around the right horses then ran an excellent race (when second) in the Doncaster Mile (G1, 1600m).

“Over the weekend, we saw the Doncaster form stand-up with the winner, Stefi Magnetica running a close second in the Queen of the Turf Stakes (G1, 1600m). Then Tom Kitten came off a seventh in the Doncaster to run third in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1, 2000m) behind Via Sistina and Dubai Honour, so that is the best form around.”

Due to face Voyage Bubble, fellow Australian-trained Mr Brightside, Beauty Eternal and BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) runner-up My Wish, Royal Patronage is due to arrive in Hong Kong on Friday night (18 April).

“He likes three weeks between runs, that’s ideal, as he does race well on the fresher side,’’ Bott said. “We also have the trip to get over as well. I will head up next week and oversee the horse’s preparation.

“Royal Patronage is a good traveller but I don’t think he will need to do too much once he’s there to be ready for the race. There is a whole group of owners going there to enjoy the experience.

“I’ve been to Hong Kong before and I know the lay of the land to an extent but it will be different taking a horse there. Gai is always thinking internationally and is keen to take up the challenge.

“We both feel Royal Patronage is the right horse so it would be quite special for Gai and I if he can run well. Royal Patronage is very genuine, he makes his own luck racing on-speed, and he’s tough, under pressure he responds, so we are looking forward to the Hong Kong race with him.”

Tim Clark, who has ridden 59 winners in Hong Kong, will partner Royal Patronage in the FWD Champions Mile.