His three-year-old Bradbury’s Luck filly Azatorah will be nominated in the wealthy $40,000 Patinack Farm Queen of the North sprint (1200m) on February 17 following her win in the Patinack Farm Three Year Old Plate (1100m).

“I will nominate and then see how strong the field is before deciding whether to start her,” Ratcliff said.

“She is a good filly and the Queen of the North is not beyond her.

“If she starts she will go for a break after that because the Grafton Guineas in July is her ultimate aim.”

The win by Azatorah could not have come at a more opportune time for Ratcliff, who also celebrated his 62nd birthday on Monday.

Jockey Allan Chau settled Azatorah in third place early, then pushed her along the inside to beat the Jenny Graham trained Ginger Rose by a length with Lightning Charge a further head away third.

Azatorah, who is part-owned by Ratcliff and local doctor Harry Johnson, has now won three of her six starts for prize money of $15,950.

Patinack Farm has added another incentive to Port Macquarie’s Queen of the North with connections of the winner to receive a free service to the young dual Group One French classic winner Lope de Vega, with the service fee valued at $27,500.

Ratcliff’s other runner at the meeting, seven-year-old bay gelding

Calais Lion, looked likely to give him a winning double heading into the home straight in the Rothbury Estate Benchmark 50 (1000m).

But with Chau carrying the top weight in the race of 60.5kg on the heavy track, Calais Lion faded over the last 200m to finish a respectable third.

David Lomas, of Gladstone, trains Amazing Dane who placed third in the Carlton Mid Benchmark 60 Handicap (1500m).

Amazing Dane, a seven-year-old chestnut gelding, was only beaten by 1.8 lengths by the Glen Hodge trained Xaarmelody.

Hot $2.80 favourite, Dinky Mink, trained by Neil Godbolt of Port Macquarie, finished third in the class three, the second last race of the day. The horse is owned by a local syndicate.