It added to his string of success at the annual carnival – his efforts also including Gold Bracelet (Dance Of Life, 2007) and Gold Tiara (Dougals Dream, 1996) wins - but since then Fitzpatrick has not been able to lay his hands on one of the major trophies.

This year the Cawdor trainer is hoping that changes as he once more sends members of his team to the Bathurst Paceway in pursuit of glory.

On Friday night Miss Halfpenny and Supersonic Rainbow will line up in the 1,730 metres heats of the Gold Tiara series for two-year-old fillies. If they do well enough, they will qualify for the $100,000 Group 1 decider.

“It’s a great carnival, it’s a carnival that is time-honoured. We’ve had a bit of luck there over the years, it really is a launching pad to some of the bigger classics later in the year,” Fitzpatrick, whose family were the 2010 Gold Crown Carnival Honourees, said.

“You do aim them for this carnival to an extent because they get the opportunity to race against their own sex.

“I probably haven’t had as much success where it is now compared to where it was before … this track is a lot different to the old track.

“I liked the old track, but I’m old school, I like smaller tracks. But it really just depends on the quality of the horses each year.”

Both of Fitzpatrick’s Gold Tiara hopefuls will be driven by his son Gavin – Friday night’s heats the beginning of a busy period which will also see the pair chase Australian Pacing Gold success.

Miss Halfpenny, an American Ideal x Perfect Penny filly, will contest the third of five heats. She will go from barrier eight and look to add to the handy victory she posted on debut at Penrith. It featured a 28.5 seconds run home.

“She’s a nice filly, I’ve got an opinion of her, and she's got a nice turn of speed, but she’s got a bad draw,” the trainer said.

“She’s had the one race, which she won, then we put her out to have her right for the Gold Crown Carnival and then the Australian gold.

“From that draw Gavin will just see how the race unfolds and play it by ear.”

Supersonic Rainbow (Mach Three x Artistic Rainbow) has drawn barrier five in the fifth heat. Like her stablemate she had one start prior to Friday’s heats, running third at Menangle on March 13.

“She’s a nice filly, she’s only had the one start and she ran third, that was was good,” he said.

“She’s drawn not too bad in five, so she should go reasonably well. Both fillies have got good gate speed, so with a bit of luck yes, I think they’re both good enough to get through.

“One you get there, well that’s a different story.”

The first race on Friday night is set for 6.02pm.