Cherry Tortoni wins Bendigo Golden Mile for Dee and Payne
Jockey-trainer combination Michael Dee and Patrick Payne continued their fine Victorian season when Dee steered Cherry Tortoni to victory in the $200,000 Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo.
The four-year-old gelding took the lead inside the 200m and went on the prevail by three quarters of a length over Shane Fliedner’s Hi Stranger (jockey Damien Thornton).
Dee now has 56 wins this season and is 11th in the hoop standings, while Payne has 58 and is sixth.
Cherry Tortini lived up to his $4.20 favourite tag with bookmakers, again running well after his third place in the $200,000 The Lexus Mugatoo (1600m) at Flemington on March 19, finishing a half length behind victor Gentleman Roy, for Ben and JD Hayes.
