Payroll pounces late to win Eclipse Stakes
ULTRA-CONSISTENT mare Payroll kept its stellar form this preparation intact after claiming the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in dramatic circumstances.
Jumping as a $6.60 elect at Crownbet, the five-year-old cornered wide for Damien Oliver and looked too far back to make up late ground to topple the Charlie Appleby top-weight Kidmenever($2.70 at William Hill), but the additional 4.5kg was telling as the line approached.
Payroll eventually was awarded the win after the photo-finish, with old campaigner Jacquinot Bay rounding out the placings at the $4 quote via Sportsbet.
The win was the third time this preparation Payroll has finished inside the placings, and stable representative Adrian McGreggor said the horse delivered on the promise it showed in the last-start second in the Group Two Matriarch Stakes.
“Over the moon with her,” McGreggor said while representing the Richard Laming team.
“Richie’s been more than happy with her the whole prep and it’s good to see her get over the line.”
The win extended Payroll’s record to four wins from 22 attempts.
McGreggor believes the star mare has the ability to beat any horse on its day if the race unfolds in its favour.
“Just needs a race run to suit,” he said.
“Good run three wide with cover, Olly could blend into the race when he wanted to and it was good to see her stick her head out.”
The horse had been knocking on the door for a win after narrowly missing out the last two starts in unlucky runs.
The group two performance buoyed the hopes of the team that a big win could be on the cards, and while they did not get an entry into the race they wanted, McGreggor said the Eclipse Stakes was a nice consolation.
“We’ve been happy with her the whole prep,” the stable rep said.
“A month in between the second and third run, it was just a shame we didn’t get a run in the Myer, Richie was pretty confident in that race but today’s something.”
There are no solid plans in place for Payroll going forward for the remainder of 2017, but McGreggor believes one more tilt this campaign could be in order, but a trip north early next year is on the agenda.
“We’ll see how she pulls up, a race like the Pakenham Cup, the main goal will probably be the Magic Millions race in January.”