David Payne is searching for another Spring Champion Stakes win with bargain buy Raging Bull

David Payne believes his bargain buy Raging Bull can bring down the high-profile colts in the Spring Champion Stakes.

Trainer David Payne believes Raging Bull can cause an upset in the Spring Champion Stakes. Picture: AAP Image

The race is loaded with superbly-bred colts potentially worth millions of dollars – and then there is Raging Bull.

He’s the epitome of a “bargain basement buy”. The maestro, David Payne, spotted the gelding roaming the paddock as a yearling and purchased him for just $6000.

At Royal Randwick on Saturday, Raging Bull has an opportunity to put a dent in the reputations of some high profile three-year-olds in the Group 1 $1m Moet And Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

The race is billed as a return clash of Head Of State and Profondo, three-year-olds who boast pedigrees of international renown and a Group 1 would secure either their stud futures as commercial stallions.

But Payne believes Raging Bull has the staying promise to produce an upset result – and repay a favour to part-owner Wayne Aldridge that stretches some 20 years.

Raging Bull (red and blue cap) is out to cause an upset in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes. Picture: Getty Images

Payne remembers being impressed by Raging Bull when he inspected the horse as a yearling.

“I don’t buy expensive horses, I can’t afford to, so I don’t look at the breeding,” Payne said.

“When I’m inspecting yearling, I just back my judgment and buy athletes. I look at the horse, how it walks and carries itself.

“Raging Bull is a nice horse, a lovely walker and we were able to get him for only $6000.”

Payne then studied Raging Bull’s pedigree – the modestly-bred gelding is by Bull Point out of Sunday Sinners – and found something he liked.

“Raging Bull has Zamazaan in his pedigree on his dam’s side and he was a great staying sire,” Payne said.

“He is going to be a stayer and in Australia if you have a stayer, you have a chance.”

Zamazaan was a leading New Zealand-based stallion who sired champion Beau Zam, Veloso, Lord Reims, Starzaan, Sir Zephyr, Our Shout, Phizam, Affinity and Chagemar.

Raging Bull goes into the Spring Champion Stakes after breaking his maiden at his fourth attempt with an easy win at Wyong.

David Payne expects Gleneagles (red cap finishing four to Anamoe) to be competitive in the Roman Consul Stakes. Picture: Getty Images

“He got out to a trip (2100m) for the first time and showed what he could do, he was very impressive last start,” Payne said.

“This is obviously a harder but race he will stay and that’s the key. I’ve got him in the Victoria Derby as well.”

Raging Bull was named after the nickname given to NRL legend Gorden Tallis, who played 214 games for the Brisbane Broncos and St George, and represented Queensland and Australia.

Payne said Raging Bull, who goes by the stable name “Gordie”, is part-owned by a number of the trainer’s loyal long-term clients including Wayne Aldridge.

“I used to train for Wayne’s father, Ron, in South Africa,” Payne said.

“I also trained for Wayne and won a few Group 1 races in South Africa but we haven’t won one together in Australia. Hopefully, Raging Bull can change that.”

Payne was a champion trainer in South Africa before deciding to make the move to Sydney two decades ago.

Despite his impressive credentials, Payne couldn’t get stable boxes and was in limbo for six months.

“Wayne got the ball rolling for me,” Payne recalled.

“He spoke to the club chairman at the time, Treve Williams, and we organised a meeting.

Eventually, I was given 25 boxes and got my start in Sydney with Wayne’s so I would like to win a good race for him.”

Bazooka (red and blue cap) has been a model of consistency all preparation. Picture: Getty Images

Raging Bull is at $10 in latest TAB fixed odds betting on the Spring Champion Stakes behind Profondo at $3.40 and Head Of State next at $3.90.

Payne, who has prepared Montefilia (2020) and Ace High (2017) to win the Spring Champion Stakes, also has French Emperor ($23) lining up in the three-year-old classic.,

French Emperor showed promise finishing a close third on debut behind Profondo before winning his maiden at Goulburn before failing last start in Head Of State’s Gloaming Stakes.

“We have taken the blinkers off for Saturday and I’m sure he will improve,” Payne said French Emperor.

“He was impressive at his previous start, he’s a nice horse and can run well.”

Payne will also saddle up another promising three-year-old Gleneagles in the Group 2 $300,000 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) and the consistent Bazooka in the Cerrone Handicap (2000m).

Gleneagles has been kept fresh since his good fourth to Anamoe and In The Congo in the Run To The Rose a month ago with Payne giving the young sprinter a barrier trial hitout at Rosehill between runs.

“I was hoping Gleneagles drew well (barrier five) so he can have a soft run,” Payne said.

“He’s really well, he’s a very promising young horse. It’s a good race, good field, but I would be disappointed if he wasn’t competitive.

Montefilia (orange and blue, white cap) gave trainer David Payne his 107th Group 1 win in last week’s The Metropolitan. Picture: Getty Images

“I was going to give Bazooka a holiday but he ran so well last start (second to Yiyi at Rosehill) that I decided to give him one more run.

“He has not run a bad race all preparation, he’s been a touch unlucky but he also tries his best.”

Payne, 74, is a master horseman who prepared the 107th Group 1 winner of his career when Montefilia won The Metropolitan at Randwick last Saturday.

Montefilia is now being aimed at the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups as Payne continues to make his mark on Australian racing 20 years after he finally got a start in Sydney racing.

“I aimed Montefilia at the one race and when it comes off like it did last week, it’s very satisfying because you have achieved something,” Payne said.

“I’ve been training for about 50 years now and I still love what I do. I enjoy training good horses. I don’t want to be leading trainer but I’m happy if we can be competitive in the big races.

“In hindsight, I should have made the move to Sydney earlier than I did. But when I was a young trainer in South Africa, winning all the races and with a big string, it was hard to leave.

“But there’s no regrets. I’ve always felt in life it is meant to be – I am a fatalist; I’ve always been like that.”

Originally published as David Payne is searching for another Spring Champion Stakes win with bargain buy Raging Bull