After plundering the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway with Sweet Mercy, David Payne is hoping he gets the chance to chase twice as much prizemoney this weekend.
Payne has first emergency Trafalgar Square in Saturday’s $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill but needs a scratching for the debutante to take her place.
The two-year-old was a late entry for the feature – by accident, not design.
“She was a late nom but if she gets in, she will be competitive,” Payne said.
“I bought her at Magic Millions, I paid $110,000 for her. I thought Saturday’s race was an Inglis race so that’s why I didn’t (originally) nominate her.
“From day one she has shown us a bit. She has won her two trials and she can sit at the front or go back.
“Anyway, if we get a run we get a run, otherwise she will go around on the fifteenth (of November at Rosehill).”
Trafalgar Square is by Churchill out of Excellent Art mare Amnesiac and has won her two 900m trials in stylish fashion.
If she can sneak into the Golden Gift and run a cheeky race, it will continue a successful week for her trainer.
Payne not only captured last Saturday’s Four Pillars but added a Melbourne Cup Day win at Randwick with State Of America.
“It has been a nice change of luck,” Payne said of his week.
Kirkham Plate winner Shangri La Express is a clear-cut $2.25 betting sites favourite for the Golden Gift despite drawing awkwardly in barrier 14 of 16.
The second placegetter in that race, Miss Judas, is also prominent at $8.50 while punters are wary of Scampi ($7) and Volatile ($7), who are looking to rebound from unplaced efforts in the Breeders’ Plate in which both were well fancied.
