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By Ray Hickson

Trainer David Payne suspects the best will be seen of young import Mahagoni in the future but says he has every reason to be confident about the gelding’s chances at Canterbury on Wednesday.

With an eye-catching Australian debut run under his belt, one that caught the eye of champion jockey James McDonald, Payne said he can only improve with the experience in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1550m).

Mahagoni produced the race's fastest last 400m (23.79, Punter’s Intelligence) finishing fifth behind Achira first-up in a 1500m Midway at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day.

“He’s a nice horse and he was still two years old when he ran the other day, he didn't turn three until a few days later,’’ Payne said.

“Nothing was making ground on the outside on the day so it was a good performance. We want to see how good he is so you have to race them.

“He’s a nice type and he looks an honest horse. I just want to try and win a race with him then put him out for a couple of months.”

In 10 starts in the UK the youngster was able to win up to 1409m but he showed fresh at 1500m that there’s scope for him to be competitive a little further out in distance.

Mahagoni runs fifth at Rosehill on March 19

As Payne alluded, Mahagoni ($3.80 with TAB on Tuesday) made his run down the outside after settling well back in the field from a wide draw first-up but is hopeful he’ll be able to make some use of a kinder gate.

“English horses can be a little bit slow out because they don’t jump and run but I’m sure he’ll be a little bit closer,’’ he said.

“Especially with James on, he’ll get him out of the barriers.”

If there’s ever a reason to forgive a horse, Payne says stablemate Fox Fighter has genuine excuses for finishing last in the Fireball a month ago.

While he started $41 that day, Fox Fighter didn’t perform to the trainer’s hopes because he was struck in the knee by a shoe at speed but with a bit of time has recovered to take his place in the Palace Pier New @ Darley Handicap (1100m).

“You can’t go on when he got hit on the knee,’’ Payne said.

“We’ve given him time because the shoe came off Mazu and smacked him on the knee. They would have been going about 50km/h in the middle of the race.

“The poor horse was out of work for a week so don’t go on that run.”

Fox Fighter ran third behind Mazu and Zapateo prior to the Fireball, the former will be favourite in Saturday’s Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint while the latter was narrowly beaten in the Group 3 PJ Bell last weekend, which reads well for a benchmark race.

“He’s well and he will be competitive, he’s very honest,’’ Payne said.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Canterbury meeting