The South African influence will ensure stablemates Criterion and Rock Hero are players in Saturday’s Australian Guineas at Flemington.
The three-year-olds are prepared by David Payne who arrived at Rosehill having learnt the trade in South Africa where he rode with distinction before becoming champion trainer.
“Both are very well,” Payne said on the eve of the group 1 event over 1600m.
“A little luck and who knows, they could pull it off. As you know you need luck in running when it comes to winning these type of races.
“The horses have done everything asked in the stable and are right on target for this race.”
Criterion and Rock Hero are quoted at double figure odds in the guineas which includes the Cox Plate winner Shamus Award.
That galloper is on the third line of betting behind the Bart and James Cummings-trained Eurozone and Hucklebuck which is looking to make it three straight victories.
“Criterion was only beaten a long neck by Eurozone in the Stan Fox,” Payne said.
“There is not much between the horses and I’m sure mine will be competitive tomorrow.”
Both Criterion and Rock Hero are home-breds the latter being bred by Payne loyalist Jon Cordina.
“He [Rock Hero] is a lovely big horse and he is still maturing,” Payne said.
“The best is yet to come with a horse like him but he deserves a shot at a race like this.
“He’ll run here and then into the Randwick Guineas and we’ll make our mind up about the Rosehill Guineas later on.
“He is still suspect at the 2000m, the dam was a 1600m horse and he is by Fastnet Rock, a sprinter.”
For that very reason Payne has “a slight leaning” towards Criterion for “he has been there and done that”.
“Criterion ran fourth in the Victoria Derby last spring,” Payne said.
“He ran second in the Spring Champion Stakes, second in the Stan Fox, gee, he won the Black Opal and the Todman as a two-year-old.
“He has continually raced the best and performed well. He has been there and done it, the distance will not be a concern to him and I’m confident he’ll figure in the finish.”
On the home track at Rosehill Payne will start stable stalwart Winning Glory while the improving Empress Elect goes round in the last race.
“I don’t think I’ll run Diamond Jim in the final event,” Payne said.
“Empress Elect will run well in it. She likes it soft under foot. She is a last start winner at Canterbury and she is stepping up in grade but she has definitely improved.
“Winning Glory is an honest old buggar and he’ll give a good sight as he always does.”
By Craig Young
