David Payne has called Australia home for the last 20 years and when he first arrived, he wanted a Melbourne Cup for his trophy cabinet.
While he has so far failed to achieve that, Payne said a Caulfield Cup would be a nice substitute.
Payne saddles Montefilia in Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in the hope the mare can improve on her fourth placing in last year’s race.
“When I came to Australia, I said I would love to win a Melbourne Cup, but I would take a Caulfield Cup, they are famous all over the world,” Payne said.
“When I was in South Africa, the Caulfield Cup, the Melbourne Cup was all you heard about.
“Unfortunately, we are not hearing about the Caulfield Cup anymore, we are hearing about The Everest, it doesn’t make sense, not to me anyway.”
Montefilia is a $19 chance in latest TAB markets which has Smokin’ Romans the $4.40 favourite from Benaud ($9) and Nonconformist ($11).
Payne said Montefilia had travelled down well from Sydney and settled in after two runs this campaign.
After finishing fourth to Anamoe in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, Montefilia was a last start third to Cascadian in the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) on October 1.
Payne said the track that day was too wet for Monefilia who has three of her six wins on wet ground and does not expect Saturday’s heavy track will be a disadvantage to the mare.
“I don’t think you can go on her Randwick run, it’s a different heavy to Rosehill,” Payne said.
“She’s won on a Heavy 9 at Rosehill and beat Verry Elleegant and she won as a three-year-old, but at Randwick she has run twice on a Heavy 10, and she didn’t like it.
“She ran in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, ran disappointing, and then again last start, so I would put the pencil through it.”
Payne said drawing out in barrier 16 would not affect Montefilia and he believes this year’s race may be slightly weaker than last year.
“She’s such a big striding filly that if she was drawn one or two, she would be held up, so I would rather her out there where she can use herself,” Payne said.
“I don’t think it is the strongest Caulfield Cup. She ran fourth in it last year and she’s a much stronger mare now. I think it might even be a weaker field.
“We’ve targeted this race first and if she goes well, she will go on to the Melbourne Cup.
“She has had a good preparation.”
