Sunday, February 17, 2008

Former Champion Jockey Trains his first major winner

Former Australian champion jockey Patrick Payne(no relation to ex South African jockey/trainer David) landed his first metropolitan winner as a trainer with the filly Laura's Charm who was having her first start for him in Saturday's Group Two Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley. Payne unfortunately wasn't there to see her win as he was attending the Magic Millions Yearling Sales in Perth with Nathan Tinkler whose Patinack Farm bought the six-year-old Encosta de Lago mare out of the Lee Freedman stable for Patrick only six weeks ago,however his younger brother Andrew, who now trains at Ballarat, saddled up Laura's Charm for him at Moonee Valley which was coincedently the scene of Patrick's biggest win in the saddle, the 2002 Cox Plate aboard Northerly Nathan Tinkler has emerged as one of Australia's biggest owners, last month spending nearly $8 million on yearlings at the Karaka sales in New Zealand. Laura's Charm was beaten a short head by Like It Is in last year's Sunline and Saturday's winning jockey Steven Arnold said the 1600m trip was "as far as she wants". The mare, who is now with her fourth trainer, has now won 10 races and been placed 10 times from 39 starts earning over $625,000. Her biggest win prior to Saturday was at Group Three level but she has undoubtedly increased her value as a broodmare with the Sunline victory. Arnold, who won the 2002 Sunline on Spurn, coaxed Laura's Charm home by a short-head from thr race favourite Illinois Girl with pace maker Wayne's Gold fighting on doggedly to be only a head away in third. Laura's Charm was a late entry for the race, but Payne was keen to run her under the weight-for-age conditions for mares as she was the highest-rated runner in the field. Greg Childs who rode the favourite said Illinois Girl cost herself the race when she wobbled around the home turn,"but it was a good, honest effort," he added.
The Big G
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