Patrick Payne has not only been training Fieldmaster for Sunday’s Hobart Cup, he has also been doing his best to prepare the horse’s jockey – his sister Michelle.
Group One-winning rider Michelle Payne made her latest riding comeback on Fieldmaster last month and has continually been improving her fitness ahead of Sunday’s $225,000 Group Three Hobart Cup (2400m).
“I’ve had five race meetings back now and have been working on my fitness,” Michelle Payne said.
“I’ve been taking some classes and been training on the beach. Patrick has been training me.”
Payne is hopeful it all pays off in Hobart as she chases her first stakes win since her return to the saddle after four months out.
The jockey suffered concussion in a fall at Ararat in September.
At the time of the incident, she had only just recovered from a fall in May which left her with five fractured vertebrae and several broken ribs.
The Hobart and Launceston Cups have been long-range aims for Fieldmaster after he campaigned in Tasmania last year.
But the gelding and Payne will need to be at their best to overcome the outside barrier in the field of 16.
“It’s obviously not what barrier we would have chosen, but you’ve got to deal with it,” Payne said.
“I think he’s got a definite chance. The draw is not going to make it easy but he’s in really good order and gets 4-1/2 kilos off Geegees Blackflash after finishing second to him at level weights last Sunday.
“Hopefully we can get a nice run from the wide gate.”
Michelle Payne has been in Tasmania with Fieldmaster and stablemate Cellarmaster for the past month and plans to stay on until after the Launceston Cup.
She believes Fieldmaster is a stronger horse than when he finished fifth in the Hobart Cup and third at Launceston last year.
“I don’t know if he’s going better but I think the fact he’s stronger has got to play some role,” Payne said.
Fieldmaster is one of five interstate entrants including the Darren Weir-trained Hurdy Gurdy Man who Payne rates as the horse to beat.
Weir has won three of the past seven Hobart Cups and Hurdy Gurdy Man will be ridden by champion jockey Glen Boss and jump from barrier one.
Hurdy Gurdy Man is favourite just ahead of last year’s winner Geegees Blackflash and The Cleaner.
