By Ray Hickson
Trainer David Payne has only asked lightly raced filly Trafalgar Square to stretch to a mile on one occasion and he hopes a lot more luck falls her way at her second attempt at Randwick on Saturday.
The three-year-old has won once in 13 starts but Payne was left to wonder what might have been when she finished fifth behind Magnatear at Wyong two weeks ago.
It was her first attempt at the mile, jumping from 1200m a month earlier, and jockey Zac Lloyd wasn’t able to wind her up from a position of midfield on the fence on a day where it was difficult to make ground.
Sectionally, she produced something of a hidden run with Punter’s Intelligence showing she clocked the race’s fastest last 600m of 35.04 and second fastest last 200m of 12.05.
“She was unlucky the other day, she should have been right there,’’ Payne said.
“Zac said just forget she ran, nothing went right for her. It was a small track, I think the mile at Randwick suits and she’s well.
“She went in to that race fit but there can only be improvement.”
Trafalgar Square, $9 with TAB on Wednesday, will meet three of the four horses who finished ahead of her last start in the Midway Handicap (1600m) with Alysha Collett riding at 52kg.
Trafalgar Square runs fifth at Wyong on January 11
Payne showed his hand with the filly on debut stepping her out in a Golden Gift and she’s contested three more Group races in her 13 starts with her maiden win at Canterbury in April her lone success.
The Rosehill trainer feels she’s still maturing and should start coming into her own now she’s getting out a bit more in distance.
“I just think she’s looking for a trip, she’s by Churchill,’’ he said.
“We want her getting on the board. I don’t think she’s a champion but she will win her races.”
He said he’d like Trafalgar Square not too handy in the run, around midfield, and given the chance to wind up when they flatten out for home.
Agita broke an almost 18 month runs of outs when he scored a first-up win over a mile at Warwick Farm earlier this month and Payne says he’s going to be better suited in the Complete Freight Services Handicap (2000m) on two fronts.
While the four-year-old’s fresh win, when well supported, came on a heavy track the trainer is confident firming going is his preferred ground and he says he’s ready for the extra trip.
So far in his 16 starts Agita has been to 2000m or beyond twice for a fifth in the Group 1 Queensland Derby in June and a close up fourth over 2140m at Warwick Farm in September.
“He’s very well and I expect a good run from him. He will appreciate the 2000m as well,’’ Payne said.
“I think he’s better on a firm track. He’s the type of horse that will go through the grades, he’s not a Group 1 horse but he could win a Listed race or something.”
Meanwhile, Payne confirmed last week’s impressive Midway winner Shohisha will progress to the Group 2 TAB Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 15.
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting