VICTORIAN trainer Patrick Payne found it difficult to wipe the smile from his face when the media honed in on him after his promising stayer won the $50,000 Jockey Club Cup (2100m) at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last Sunday.
The win gave his trainer the signal that he was ready to tackle the $225,000 Group 3 AAMI Hobart Cup (2200m) this Sunday.
With the trainer’s sister Michelle Payne in the saddle Fieldmaster came from beyond midfield at the 600m to hit the front turning for home and toyed with his rivals in the home straight to easily win the Jockey Club Cup.
It was an effortless win over Dream Flyer and another interstate-trained Hobart Cup aspirant Placement with Fieldmaster’s rider easing the NZ bred gelding down over the concluding stages to score by almost two lengths.
“I was rapt to see him win like he did and Michelle (Payne) gave him a really nice ride,” Payne said.
Fieldmaster ended his previous campaign with a minor placing at Warwick Farm (Sydney) in August and Payne had expected to give the gelded son of Black Minnaloushe at least two starts in Victoria before heading to Tasmania .
“He’s taken a lot longer to reach race fitness level this time in which was a bit of a concern to us and it is why he was only second up in the race in Hobart on Sunday.”
“I thought he was suspect and vulnerable on Sunday but he did the job well and went to the line an easy winner with his ears pricked,” Payne said.
Fieldmaster was sent around at decent odds last Sunday ($7.10) owing to finishing only fifth in a 1600-metre race at Camperdown.
“At his first-up run in the Camperdown Cup he only finished fifth but he got knocked over halfway up the straight so the run was a lot better than it looked on paper.”
Fieldmaster was purchased by Payne in New Zealand as a tried galloper and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing from a training perspective.
“H’s been a bit difficult to train and get going because he had a bad habit of wanting to lay in but thankfully that was more to do with immaturity.”
“He’s straightened himself out now and hopefully he will continue to improve,” he said.
Payne confirmed the Launceston Cup will be Fieldmaster’s grand final but expects him to be very hard to beat on Sunday.
“The Launceston Cup is probably more suitable because it is over 2400 metres but we always planned to attack both cups on the visit,” he said.
Fieldmaster is being stabled at Adam Trinder’s yards at Spreyton courtesy of a professional relationship Payne and Trinder shared as fellow jockeys.
“Adam and I go back a long way and I am very happy that the horse is in his care while he is racing over here,” Payne said.
Fieldmaster has drawn barrier two on Sunday in what looks an evenly balanced race with five Tasmanians and as many from interstate or overseas.
The presence of talented New Zealand stayer Roi D’Jeu in the field gives it a truly international flavor and that top local rider Stephen Maskiell has secured the ride on the Kiwi gelding adds another dimension to the race.
Local star Geegees Blackflash is likely to start favourite despite four of the five invaders having either won or been placed at Group 3 level.