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Dream Circle Eyeing Off Three Wins In-A-Row

3 minute read

David Payne has a duo of winning chances engaged at Randwick on Saturday, including back-to-back winner Dream Circle.

DREAM CIRCLE.
DREAM CIRCLE. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

Dream Circle was a winner at Rosehill when fresh from a break, before following that up with a strong win over the track and distance he'll face on Saturday.

With plenty of rain forecast in the days leading up to the weekend, the conditions will only play into the hands of the four-year-old, with all six career victories coming on wet tracks.

Payne said the son of Dream Ahead is in career best form and Saturday could be the platform to launch into group racing during the spring.

"I must say I've never had him better," he said.

"He'll go around on Saturday and should get a light weight. He'll be competitive again.

"I'd like to get a little bit of black type somewhere; I'll step him up somewhere. But I like to just go through the grades first.

"He's come back this prep and he's just flying."

Payne will also saddle up German import Thorin, who will be having his second start on Australian soil in the Racing To Win Handicap.

Thorin was a Group 3 winner in Germany before making his way down under, with his Australian debut a disappointing eighth in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes nearly a month ago.

Despite already having a black type win in his form, Payne wants the four-year-old to prove himself before giving him another chance at the level.

"He's an import so they land here in a different hemisphere so we're just giving him a couple of runs this prep and then we'll put him out and get him acclimatised," he said.

"We might have ridden him wrong the other day, I think we'll let him stride up a bit closer and I think he might improve on that.

"I want him to show me first. Once he shows me that he's good enough to step up then we'll get a program for him (for the spring)."

Clarendon Stakes winner Gleneagles has been sent for a break after finishing tenth in the Group 2 Sires' Produce at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.

There has been plenty of discussion regarding the newly redeveloped Eagle Farm surface after Media Award, who was a top chance in the Queensland Oaks, was scratched after injuring herself in a routine track gallop the Tuesday before the race.

Payne was also critical of the track, voicing his displeasure after deciding not to continue with Gleneagles' campaign due to the state of the track.

"It's shocking, really shocking. It's not good when you have to race on a surface like that," he said.

"It was a very hard track, it was like a good three, and Eagle Farm is just not the best surface.

"I think he (Gleneagles) just found the going a bit firm. I think you can put a pencil through that run.

"We were going to go for the Atkins, but I said 'it's not going to suit him, it's going to be the same type of going'.

"So, we put him out and we'll keep him for the spring."

Dual Group 1-winner Montefilia has also found her way back into the Rosehill stables.

The three-year-old had plenty of hype about her leading into her autumn campaign after a successful spring, but failed to register a win in her four-run preparation.

Payne has nominated her for the Melbourne Cup, but will kick off her campaign closer to home.

"We've put her in the cups as a precaution, just in case she steps up," he said,

"But she'll kick off here in Sydney, she'll start in the Chelmsford, 1600m first-up, then she'll most likely go to those 2000m races and that'll let us know if we're going to go to Melbourne or not."


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