ard patrick was a "powerful and massively-built youngster" who was slow to mature and did not appear on the racecourse before autumn. he made his debut in one of the season's most valuable races for juveniles, the six furlong imperial produce stakes at kempton on 12 october. carrying 119 pounds he won by a head from royal lancer who was carrying three pounds more. four days later he met royal lancer again in the clearwell stakes at newmarket and won by a neck, receiving three pounds. on his third and final start of the year he finished second to the black filly game chick in the dewhurst stakes. at the end of the season ard patrick was being offered by the bookmakers at odds of 7/1 for the following year's derby, the other leading fancies being duke of westminster (the horse, not the owner) and william collins whitney's american import nasturtium.