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By Ray Hickson

The biggest race of The Star Championships is squarely in trainer David Payne’s sights with his outstanding mare Montefilia after she claimed the scalp of Verry Elleegant to win the Group 1 $700,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

Trainer David Payne after Montefilia's win. (Pic: Steve Hart).

Payne’s original plan was to back up in next week’s $1.5m KIA Tancred Stakes (2400m) but he’s now eyeing bigger fish in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 9.

And she’ll have glamour Godolphin colt Anamoe among her rivals in the Queen Elizabeth after the three-year-old was promoted to $3.50 favouritism after he demolished his rivals in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Active Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

It was a satisfying win for Payne and, despite the presence of Verry Elleegant, from the home turn it never really looked in doubt.

“She is just a different horse. We are going for the Queen Elizabeth now, definitely,’’ Payne said.

“She is a special horse. I’ll look after her.

“It’s special because Verry Elleegant is the Horse of the Year so I wonder what it makes her (Montefilia) now. She must be up there.”

With six runners in the Ranvet it always promised to be a tactical affair and Payne was very particular about jockey Jason Collett not being dictated to by James McDonald on Verry Elleegant.

As it turned out it was Collett that did the dictating, positioning Montefilia in front of the champion mare and giving her a back to follow but the four-year-old just kept going.

It was a fourth Group 1 win for Montefilia and also a fourth for Collett.

“I knew, you’re not going to get past her. I just said, whatever you do, don’t let (James McDonald) close you up,’’ Payne said.

“If you look at her now she is a different filly, mare now. She is much stronger. And this is only her second run back so I think she will improve a bit as well.”

Collett said he erred in the Chipping Norton Stakes when Montefilia resumed a few weeks ago but there were no mistakes this time as he was in control of the outcome from a long way out – subject to how Verry Eleegant was travelling.

But when he let his mare go he was pleased he had over a length up his sleeve, and she extended the margin on the line.

“Last start I rode her too handy, it didn’t flow - it was a stop start, she was held up and got going late,’’ Collett said.

“She needed a bit of room and I just wanted to make sure I was in that spot.

“Whether I was in front of James (McDonald) or behind, ideally in front because it’s very difficult to outsprint Verry Elleegant in the straight, but when that tempo sort of came off mid-race I just had a lovely rhythm and I got into the straight on the bridle with James (McDonald) still behind me.

“I know when she lets down she can let down like that.

“I think I got to the furlong and I thought ‘Do I look at the screen yet? Or do I wait until the 100m?’ And I got there and I looked up.”

Montefilia is on the $11 line, equal fourth favourite, with TAB in the Queen Elizabeth all-in market.

Meanwhile, Anamoe’s trainer James Cummings has a bit of thinking to do about how to bridge the three week gap between the Rosehill Guineas and Queen Elizabeth after the colt’s 6-1/2 length stroll.

“For us, one worry might be it was a little too easy three weeks out from the Queen Elizabeth,’’ Cummings said.

“We might have to have a little discussion whether he might need one more between now and then to be bang on for that.”

In a very tactical affair, James McDonald pushed forward on Anamoe to find the lead before Hugh Bowman on Profondo allowed his colt to run and open up a four or five length break midrace.

Montefilia wins the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill

It was clear on the turn that Anamoe had the leader covered but perhaps the winning margin took Cummings by surprise. He was moved after the race to declare the colt this season’s champion three-year-old.

“It has been wonderful for everyone to see what I have been able to see, the potential in the horse….and he has put it on display in a really good race, a classic,’’ he said.

“He towelled them up. That’s a sign of a quality horse, I think.

“The horse was here 12 months ago running second in the Golden Slipper after drawing barrier 15 of 15. He is just a pure racehorse, an absolute athlete and he is just a pleasure to do anything with.”

Anamoe stopped the clock about 1.5 seconds slower, or nine lengths, than Montefilia but the last 600m in the Guineas was run two lengths quicker than the Ranvet.

Check out the replays and results from Golden Slipper day at Rosehill Gardens