Trainer Patrick Payne will have a second-up shot at Monday’s Christmas Stakes with Cellarmaster even though he believes the Listed race is slightly short of his best distance.
The Dubawi four-year-old ran an encouraging race first-up when fourth, just 1-1/4 lengths from the winner Translation over 1200m at Flemington on December 10.
But Payne believes 1400m might suit him better these days.
“The race was controlled pretty much from the front. I thought he didn’t do a bad job,” the former outstanding jockey said.
“He’s trained on really well. I would think he’ll run really well on Monday but next time when he gets to 1400 metres where he can race up on the speed and control the race a bit he’ll be harder to beat.”
Payne’s younger sister Michelle Payne retains the mount on Cellarmaster who drew barrier six in the 14-horse field.
The gelding was prepared in New Zealand by Kevin Gray and has had seven runs for Payne since February for a 1300m three-year-old race win at Morphettville in June and a second to Josimar over 1400m at Caulfield in July.
One of his best efforts for Payne so far was sixth to Whobegotyou in the Group Two weight-for-age PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in August.
“He was a good two-year-old. He had quite a few runs as a two-year-old which burnt him out actually,” Payne said.
“When he first came over from New Zealand he was a little bit jaded.
“He’s still a handy horse, but everyone wants to compare him to Jimmy Choux.
“He beat Jimmy Choux as a two-year-old but as we know Jimmy Choux went on and improved a fair bit.
“Cellarmaster raced in the first two-year-old race and had nine runs as a two-year-old so he was a really forward little horse.”
During his juvenile season he won three races including the Group Three Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie and the Listed Wentwood Grange Stakes (1100m) in which he defeated Jimmy Choux at Te Rapa.
He was also placed five times including being second twice at Group One level, to Banchee in the Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie and to Nacho Man in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni.
Jimmy Choux ran third in both of those races.
After two more placings from six starts at three, including a third to Fiddler and Jimmy Choux in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) and a second to Fritzy Boy in the Group Three Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni, he was sent to Australia.
Payne has tended to keep Cellarmaster fresh by spacing his runs.
“He’s a short-coupled little horse and he jarred up after his first run for me so we had to be a little bit careful with him,” he said.
“But as he’s getting older he’s toughing it out, handling his racing better.”
Cellarmaster is second pick in the betting at $5.50 with TAB Sportsbet which has the Peter Moody-trained Mr Make Believe as $4.40 favourite with Second Effort at $6.50, Cascabel at $7.50 and That’s Not It at $9.
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