Payne Has Double Dip At Inglis Classic

Trainer David Payne is making the most of his opportunity to gain some early prize money with Risky Blonde and Chez Harmony in the Inglis Classic this Saturday.

The $250,000 race is open to horses who were purchased from the 2011 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Payne said it was wise to enter horses into the race in the hope of encouraging more yearling purchases at the next Inglis sales.

“It encourages people to buy horses so why not?” Payne said.

“They get a chance to get some early money back.”

Of his two runners, Payne is putting his faith in Risky Blonde after her impressive win on debut.

While the win was just a $16,000 maiden at Gosford, the race experience gained by the filly is invaluable.

Risky Blonde then went on to finish fifth in the Warwick Farm 100 Club Plate for two-year-olds last start.

“She would be the one out of my two,” Payne said.

“She is a little bit more forward at this stage.”

However, Payne is asking racegoers not to discount Chez Harmony, who finished a disappointing seventh at Kembla Grange on January 11.

“She got quite worked up at the barriers last start so you can disregard that run,” he said.

“She would never have won but she should have finished a couple of lengths closer.”

While Payne is hopeful one of his fillies can break through with the win, he is wary of Gerald Ryan’s unraced filly Cavalry Rose and Anthony Cummings’ proven sprinter Diamond Earth.

“I’ve heard Gerald Ryan has got quite a good one,” Payne said.

“I don’t know much about Anthony’s filly but I’m not sure how she will go at the 1200 metres.”

Diamond Earth has won both the $250,000 Inglis Banner and the $250,000 Inglis Nursery on her way to Saturday’s race.

About The Author