Patrick Payne intends to give promising galloper Hot Lover his chance in the spring but first he will give the three-year-old a 1600 metre test at Flemington.
The Bel Esprit colt has won four of his six starts and will be trying to complete a hat-trick of wins in Saturday’s K A Morrison Handicap.
“He is by Bel Esprit but I’m not concerned about the mile (1600m). He looks like a good speed miler,” Payne said.
“He has very strong staying lines on the mum’s side.
“His half-sister (Moment In Time) won the VRC St Leger (2800m).
Hot Lover won a Morphettville 1050m three-year-old maiden at his second start for his original South Australian trainer Matthew Seyers.
He was spelled before being transferred to Payne with the owner keen to pick up Super Vobis bonuses available in Victoria.
He has won three of four starts for Payne.
After winning over 1300m at Echuca, he stepped up in grade to win over 1400m at Flemington last Saturday week, beating Saturday’s rival Xavi by 1-3/4 lengths.
“The way he went to the line was very good,” Payne said.
“He’s shown really good ability at home and has a great temperament.
“He’s a very relaxed horse, with a beautiful length of stride and good air ways.
“He could make into a spring horse but it’s very deep water for spring four-year-olds as they have to race against four, five and six-year-olds.
“I reckon it’s a bit hard and I’d like to go easy with him during the spring but we’ll wait and see.
Rhys McLeod, who has ridden Hot Lover once for a first-up win at Warrnambool in March, replaces Payne’s injured sister Michelle on Saturday.
Michelle Payne will be sidelined until next season after suffering five fractured vertebrae and two broken ribs when her mount stumbled on jumping away, went down on its head and speared her into the turf at Donald last Sunday.
