It was a case of the cream rising to the top as talented stablemates Persian Wonder and Krasina both broke their maidens at Canterbury, albeit the former did it the hard way.
Competitive in some of the better autumn two-year-old races, including the Group 3 Baillieu Handicap (1400m) in which he finished runner-up, Persian Wonder ($3.30) camped in second and appeared to be under heavy pressure approaching the home turn in Wednesday’s Robrick Lodge Handicap (1200m).
However, under hard riding from Zac Lloyd, the youngster lifted late to overhaul leader Yoshida by a long neck and score a gritty win.
“It’s obviously not the way to ride him, but I thought I’d give him every chance to tough it out, and that he did,” Lloyd said.
“As you can see in his past few replays, he is quite a lazy horse and he’s going to benefit when he gets a bit of headgear on. We’ve just got to wait for him to be mentally ready.
“I knew he was going to keep responding, and once he got a couple of reminders, he really stretched and went on with the job.”
Lloyd and Payne were back in the winner’s circle a race later when Krasina ($1.80 fav) atoned for a luckless third behind Why So Hard at Randwick last month to break her maiden in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1200m).
Payne wasn’t on track, but Lloyd said he was rapt to land a midweek double for the popular horseman, who also had a successful affinity with the young jockey’s father and former rider Jeff Lloyd.
“Lloyd and Payne go a long way back, so it’s good when I can ride winners for David,” Zac Lloyd said.
“It was good to see her be able to put herself in a spot where you’re not relying so much on luck.
“The form was there. She was the best horse in the race, so I rode her accordingly and she has done that very comfortably.”
Despite his small numbers, Payne has a handy team of rising three-year-olds, including Bangkok Hottie, a Randwick winner in April who is scheduled to trial at Rosehill on Friday in preparation for the Princess Series.
