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By Ray Hickson

He’ll need to claim a big scalp or two but trainer David Payne is confident Gleneagles has the form and the timing to give Saturday’s Group 2 $300,000 Polytrack Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at shake.

Trainer David Payne (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Gleneagles, though, is no stranger to tackling the topline three-year-olds as he ran a close fourth behind In The Congo and Anamoe, the Golden Rose quinella, when we last saw him in the Run To The Rose last month.

Payne said it was a deliberate move to miss the Group 1 and focus on the Roman Consul.

“We are meeting a hot field as usual but he is well and if he gets his chance he’ll be thereabouts,’’ he said.

“If he runs well we will look at the Coolmore but he has to step up. He’s always been a nice horse and he’s maturing nicely. If he repeats his last run he must be with them for sure, he’s just got to get the breaks.”

Paulele was favourite with TAB at $2.25 on Friday while Gleneagles shares the second line at $5.50 with Kiwi Group 1 winner Sword Of State.

In the Run To The Rose, Gleneagles drifted out to last and travelled three wide into the straight before reeling off the fastest last 600m of the race, running 33.75 (Punter’s Intelligence), into fourth place.

He’s since won a barrier trial on his home track and Payne said he’d like to see the colt jump well and find a position a little closer to the speed.

“He can be a bit tardy out, that’s his only problem, but if he jumps out he can box seat,’’ he said.

“He should have been much closer at the finish (last start), I thought he would run well but he had no luck. It was a good effort.

“I would say he is a lot fitter now. He’s a nice horse, he runs good sectionals. We always look ahead so we are hoping that he steps up."

Payne claimed last year’s Group 1 $1m Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) with Montefilia, last week’s Metropolitan winner, and he’s quietly confident French Emperor can run well above his $23 price with TAB.

He started $6 in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes but Payne said the decision to put blinkers on backfired and beating just one home behind Head Of State and Profondo is not a reflection of his ability.

“You’ll see a much better horse this week without the blinkers. That was a mistake,’’ Payne said.

“Don’t go on that run, he went too hard that first six furlongs he just pulled his head off and he was never going to run on.

“If you look at his form he’s around Profondo, we should have nearly beaten him at his first start. If he reproduces those first two runs, you mustn’t write him off on one run.”

Stablemate Raging Bull showed early promise with a couple of city placings in winter and is thrown into the Group 1 on the back of a runaway maiden win at Wyong on September 21.

Payne said the gelding, $41 with TAB, has some talent and it’s worth a shot.

Gleneagles wins a trial at Rosehill on September 28

“He’s up in class but at least we know he stays. We know he will still be running on,’’ he said.

And it’s campaign over for Payne’s warrior Bazooka after the Cerrone Handicap (2000m) in what will be his ninth run in a consistent prep.

Two starts after finally posting his second career win, the gelding chased home Yiyi over 1900m at Rosehill and while drawn wide Payne is happy to give Bazooka one last run.

“He’s due for a holiday so we may as well take our chances then put him out. I’ve been wanting to give him a break but he’s been racing so well,’’ he said.

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