David Payne’s spring renaissance has continued at Randwick with the veteran trainer celebrating his fourth Saturday metropolitan win in as many weeks, this time with top filly Bangkok Hottie.
The three-year-old added Saturday’s Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) to her Furious Stakes (1200m) success two weeks ago, continuing a heady run for the stable which kicked off with Proxima Dea’s Midway Handicap win at Rosehill on August 29 and included Persian Wonder’s victory in the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) last weekend.
A champion jockey and trainer in his native South Africa, Payne has rarely been shy of a good horse since his arrival in Australia, but the 78-year-old admits he is taking great pleasure from his latest run of success.
“I’m making a comeback,” Payne quipped.
“You get nice horses, you look after them, they reward you.”
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Bangkok Hottie ($3.90) jumped well from her midfield draw to trail the speed set by Rachini, surging to the front in the straight and holding off the bid of Striking Alibi ($2.70 fav) by three-quarters of a length.
Global Goal ($7.50) also found the line nicely late to grab third, another long neck away.
The first three placegetters are likely to clash again in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in two weeks and Payne doesn’t expect Bangkok Hottie to have any trouble handling the extra journey.
“Not at all. She keeps winning, so who’s worried?” he said.
“We didn’t want her that handy, but the way the track was playing, I said to Kerrin, ‘I’m leaving it to you’. And he does the right thing.
“I wish she could get a decent draw where she could be covered up. Maybe in the Flight Stakes, hopefully.”
James Mcdonald said Striking Alibi had “no luck” and did a tremendous job to finish second, setting up an enticing rematch with the winner in the final leg of the four-race Princess Series.
