Ace High Is Payne's Spring Champion

David Payne has trained more than 100 Group One winners but few have given him more satisfaction than Ace High’s victory in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.

Since Payne arrived in Australia from South Africa in 2002, John Cordina has been a loyal stable supporter but until Saturday at Randwick, owner and trainer had not combined for a Group One win.

That changed when Ace High ($3.10 fav), ridden by Tye Angland, showed his toughness by leading all the way over the 2000 metres to beat Tangled ($5.50) by a short head with Sully ($8.50) another 1-1/2 lengths away.

Payne is more than keen to take Ace High to Melbourne for the Victoria Derby in four weeks while Cordina, a part-owner of the Jack Denham-trained 1999 Spring Champion winner Fairway, is wondering whether they should wait until autumn.

“This is my first Group One winner since Fairway. It’s been a long time coming and it feels pretty good,” Cordina said.

“David picked him out at the Magic Millions sale and we paid $130,000 for him.

“We always wanted a stayer and he looks like a good one.”

Payne said he believed Ace High would be better if he had a horse to chase but circumstances on Saturday were against that plan.

“I think he is going to be a better horse when he can follow something but today we had to make it a stayer’s race,” he said.

“We always thought he was going to be up near the lead. There was no pace in the race.

“We always liked him. He was a big strong horse. I said when he was a baby this was my Derby horse,” said Payne.

“I’m keen on the Derby. I had Criterion, Praecido and Honorius and they all ran well. He’s the best of them. Well I don’t know better than Criterion but he’s a good stayer. Criterion was more brilliant. His brilliance got him the trip. He was more of a miler.

“I think he is going to be a better horse when he can follow something but today we had to make it a stayer’s race.”

A $130,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Bell River Thoroughbreds draft for his trainer, Ace High runs for well known owner John Cordina's Summertime Thoroughbreds who has been with the Payne Racing stable since 2002.

Ace High was bred by Bruce Reid Racing and is the best of two winners from Come Sunday, an unraced half-sister by Redoute's Choice to stakes-winners That's a Good Idea and Kneeling.

For Angland, the win was a two-edged sword.

“He just had a beautiful run and I thought I would make it a staying test,” Angland said.

“I was on empty late, but the easy sectionals early that I got right paid dividends.

“Not many people would know I missed my brother’s wedding today for this fella so I owed him,” Tye said, “It was in the middle of Queensland.”

And there was no chance Angland could make the reception with his brother Cody, a bronco rider, getting married in Springsure in central Queensland.

[07/10/2017]

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