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By Ray Hickson

Inverell trainer Todd Payne is a relative newcomer to the Highway concept and he’s hoping it’ll be third time lucky for Lisztomania at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Todd Payne (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The lightly raced six-year-old has contested six Highways but his two starts for Payne in July have been the trainer’s only shots at the $120,000 race of which this weekend will be its 399th edition.

It’s a hefty seven and a half hour trip to get to Sydney, broken up by an overnight stay at Todd Howlett’s in Muswellbrook, and the 40-year-old, who only prepares a small team, is excited at the prospect of a breakthrough city win.

“I’d love to win one, it’d be fantastic,’’ Payne said.

“We’ve got 10 in work and I’d love to win a race down there, and it’d be good to go back again after he wins one because he’s still eligible.”

Lisztomania, $5 with TAB on Thursday, was previously trained by Aiden St Vincent and he’s shown in his two starts for the new stable he’s not far off a win.

Talent has never been the gelding’s problem but if not for some misfortune, he was declared a non-runner in a Country Championships heat as a short-priced favourite last year, and some well publicised feet issues it wouldn’t be 18 months since his last win.

“He’s been racing fantastic and a lovely horse at home, he’s so relaxed,’’ he said.

“We train out of a paddock and a yard, it’s a bit different environment to being in a stable and he’s the type of horse that appreciates that too.

“I can’t put my fingers on it exactly but it’s been about managing his feet, I speak to Aiden a bit and he gave me a the heads up about him.

“Hopefully we’re on top of all that now.”

Payne has been rapt with Lisztomania’s two runs from wide gates that have forced him to concede big starts and the form around those runs haven’t gone unnoticed.

He gave current Kosciuszko second favourite Clear Thinking 3.5kg and a head start when third in 1200m Highway on July 6 then again endured a wide run when a close fourth to Lonhro’s Queen, who has won again since, over 100m less two weeks later.

“That wasn’t ideal but it just matched up, going up to the 62kg didn’t help either, it was the way the programming goes,’’ he said.

“That’s another reason we’re a month between runs now but it’s the happiest I’ve been with him to be honest.”

It’s a different scenario to a degree in the TAB Highway (1300m) on Saturday with Payne relieved Lisztomania has drawn barrier five, as opposed to 16 of 16 and 10 of 14 at his past two.

Lisztomania run fourth at Rosehill on July 20

That gives him confidence that Zac Lloyd won’t have to concede as much ground but he said it doesn’t mean he’ll be put right onto the speed either.

“I thought it was about time we drew a gate,’’ he said.

“I still think we’ll get back, I just don’t think we’ll get back as far. But in saying that I’ll leave it up to Zac, he’s ridden more winners than me.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting