It was a buoyant David Payne who greeted Montefilia in the winner’s circle after Saturday’s Heineken Metropolitan at Royal Randwick. The gallant mare had just won her third Group 1 race, strengthening her credentials for a crack at the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. She also completed a dream double for David who’d won the Midway Hcp earlier in the day with Fox Fighter, his only other runner on the mammoth card.
As he soaked up the exhilaration of another Group 1 win, David’s mind may have wandered back nineteen years to his unheralded arrival in Sydney. After a stellar training career in South Africa the respected horseman took a massive gamble in relocating to one of the world’s toughest racing towns. Not even multiple premierships and a whopping 100 Gr 1 victories at home could guarantee him a place among Sydney’s powerful training ranks.
He felt genuine despair when not a single horse became available to train, and his first few requests for stabling at Randwick were denied. When he was finally allocated twenty five boxes at headquarters he was embarrassed to declare that he had only one horse on his books. Many months passed before the place looked anything like a proper racing stable.
David after a win with Rock Me Baby at Rosehill. Montefilia's Metrop win was his ninth Aussie Gr. 1 success - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
David was up and running by 2008 when Randwick trainers were ejected to make way for the World Youth Day Papal Mass. Most elected to take advantage of temporary stabling at Warwick Farm. David opted to relocate to Rosehill where he remains to this day. “I didn’t want to leave our Mosman home where we’ve lived since we came to Australia,” said the trainer. “I can manage the drive to Rosehill every day, but Warwick Farm was out of the question.”
Rosehill has been home to Montefilia since David purchased the filly at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was acting on behalf of fellow South African Richard Kurland who had commissioned him to buy a filly with an Oaks pedigree. They met at the sales complex and went over the yearling with a fine tooth comb. “As a type she ticked every box,” recalled the trainer. “Well grown, very athletic, with a lovely temperament and the most fluent walk. I know they don’t have walking races but it’s an indication of balance. To this day she’s been the most uncomplicated mare to train.”
The Kermadec filly was knocked down to the Rosehill trainer for $130,000. As she hit the line in Saturday’s Metropolitan her bank balance rocketed to $1,763,525 - a tremendous return for her all female ownership group Caroline Vincent, Kathlyn Docherty and Leanne Paligorov. Caroline’s partner Richard Kurland elected to remain out of the spotlight but plays a key consultative role behind the scenes.
After racing three wide throughout Montefilia lunges at Entente to win the Metrop in the last bound - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
David has “cuddled” Montefilia since her racing career began eighteen months ago. She was having only her fifteenth start in the Metrop and took her record to five wins and five placings. It’s hard to believe she started at odds of $51.00 when she won a 1400m 2YO Hcp at Newcastle with Glyn Schofield in the saddle. As a member of Kermadec’s first crop she was the stallion’s first winner and his first 2YO winner. Her second win came in August of last year in a 3&4yo BM72 at Rosehill. This time she became Kermadec’s first 3YO winner and his first city winner.
Following a “freshen up” and a soft barrier trial, David produced her in the 1400m Tea Rose Stakes. She raced like a filly looking for further when fourth only 2.3 lengths from Dame Giselle. Two weeks later the 1600m Flight Stakes was promoted as a match race between Dame Giselle and Hungry Heart. The prediction came unstuck when Dame Giselle pulled too hard and was a spent force coming up the rise. Hungry Heart looked all over a winner when she dashed clear but the giant striding Montefilia was just getting warmed up.
The Kermadec filly gave her freshman sire another “first” when she got up to win the Group 1 in the last couple of bounds - a touching moment for David Payne who in the same race seventeen years earlier, had notched his first Aussie Gr 1 with Unearthly.
Convinced that Montefilia was now desperate for 2000m, David elected to back her up seven days later in the Spring Champion Stakes. With Street Dancer ensuring a solid speed, Montefilia had a cosy run midfield on the inside of Lion’s Roar. She was held up for a few strides in the straight but got clear inside the 200m where Lion’s Roar had skipped to a handy lead. Montefilia looked the quintessential staying mare as she lengthened stride and swamped the leader to make it two Gr 1’s in a week.
Just one week after winning the Flight Stakes Montefilia made it a Gr. 1 double in the 2020 Spring Champion Stakes. Jason Collett in the saddle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Twenty six days later the powerfully made filly contested the Kennedy Oaks at Flemington with Hugh Bowman on board. Montefilia enjoyed a perfect passage in third and fourth spot one horse off the fence behind Tyche Goddess and Vilanculos. Hugh’s plans came unstuck at the 700m when Vilanculos hit a brick wall forcing him to set Montefilia “alight”. She was still in front inside the 200m but was being stalked by two fillies with a closing sprint. Personal and Salto Angel beat her comfortably, but circumstances had played against the Sydney filly.
Montefilia wasn’t seen again for some sixteen weeks. Following two barrier trials she got ready for a three race autumn campaign beginning with the Surround Stakes. She was never travelling in a fast run race and did her best work late to finish sixth. She then ran three respectable races without a win - third in the Rosehill Guineas, fourth in the ATC Derby and fifth in the Australian Oaks. On all three occasions she was disadvantaged by a lack of pace.
Observers noted significant development in Montefilia when the rising four year old mare stepped out for a barrier trial in the middle of July, finishing midfield. She finished second in another trial in mid August, after which David plotted her spring programme. A pleasing third in the Chelmsford Stakes was followed by a strong finishing third in the Kingston Town Stakes. The Heineken Metropolitan was in her sights.
“You’d be surprised how many people thought she had her share of weight in 55.5 kgs, and doubted that she was a genuine 2400m mare,” said Payne. “I wasn’t worried about the weight and I felt she was “screaming” for 2400m. My prime concern was barrier 17 which finished up barrier 13 with scratchings, but that still wasn’t ideal. Those who doubted her credentials at 2400m might consider the fact that she raced three wide every step of the way on Saturday. She probably travelled closer to 2500m and was doing her best work in the closing stages.
“When you get a horse with such a big action they are sometimes better suited with room to move. A mare like this is better off striding freely than stopping and starting between or inside horses. Hugh got a lovely trail up behind Entente and had Montefilia in full flight when he switched outside Tim Clark’s heels. She really extended in the last bit.”
Hugh Bowman won't forget Montefilia's name in a hurry - his 100th career Gr. 1 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The trainer was more than happy with the 1kg Caulfield Cup penalty imposed by Racing Victoria in the wake of Saturday’s Gr 1 win. An increase to 52kgs has lifted Montefilia to ninth spot on the order of entry. With border protocols wreaking havoc, David is resigned to placing the mare with a Melbourne stable for her short campaign. “Once we’re sure of a Caulfield Cup start, I’ll be talking to Leon and Troy Corstens at Flemington,” he said. “Following several approaches from Victorian jockey managers, we settled on Jye McNeil as her Caulfield Cup rider. He’ll make the weight comfortably and is already a proven big race rider.”
The trainer was understandably thrilled with the emphatic win by Fox Fighter in the 1000m Midway Hcp. The three year old was outpaced early and still in front of only three horses approaching the turn. Skilfully extricated from the pack by Andrew Adkins, the pony sized Foxwedge gelding produced a flashing run down the middle of the track to swamp the leaders. “He’s a tiny horse with a big motor,” said David. “He just wants to be there and never stops trying. He’s won three and run three placings in just his second preparation. He’ll be a great little horse for the stable.”
Pony sized Fox Fighter (Andrew Adkins) wins Saturday's Midway - First leg of a double for the Payne stable - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Asked to nominate a younger member of his twenty horse team as a likely future winner, the astute Payne came up with a three year old colt called Son Of Emperor. “He’s a lovely strapping colt by So You Think who looks certain to make the grade,” said David. “I put him away after one educational run at Gosford in July, when he finished right on the heels of the placegetters. He’s back in the stable now and I’m looking forward to this preparation.”
Like many fellow trainers David is mindful of the spectacular rise of Cups favourite Incentivise. Although looking vulnerable for a few strides in both the Makybe Diva and Turnbull Stakes, the lightly raced Queenslander has lifted magnificently to win. On both occasions he’s given the impression he was just warming up on the line.
“He gives the impression he’ll stay all day and there might be a touch of freak about him,” said Payne. “Nevertheless, we’ve got a mare with plenty of bottom who’s peaking at exactly the right time. Incentivise has got to give us 3.5 kgs. Anything can happen in this business.”
(Banner image - Montefilia, in colours representing the old South African flag wins Saturday's Metropolitan - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)