Trainer Todd Payne to saddle up Lisztomania in 2025 Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick

Inverell trainer Todd Payne admits it’s a life-changing experience just to have a runner in a $1 million race on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Todd Payne. with daughter Riley, will be donning a new suit before he saddles up Lisztomania in the Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Andrew Pearson

Inverell trainer Todd Payne admits it’s a life-changing experience just to have a runner in a $1 million race on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

“We are racing for such big money, it is unbelievable,’’ Payne said.

“I’ve never been to the Championships at Randwick before – I had to go out and buy a suit this week.’’

The Payne-trained Lisztomania – named after the “groupies” of a famous Hungarian composer – is one of the main chances in the $1 million Country Championships Final (1400m).

There are four Group 1 races on Doncaster-Derby Day at Royal Randwick, one of Australian racing’s great race days, but for trainers like Payne, the Country Championships Final is their Everest.

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The Country Championships is restricted to horses trained in rural NSW and they can only gain entry into the rich final by finishing first or second in a qualifying heat in their region.

Lisztomania secured a start in the big race when he ran second in the Hunter and North West region’s qualifying heat at Tamworth.

“It is life-changing really to have a horse that could be competitive in this race,’’ the trainer said.

Payne has 10 horses in training at Inverell where he also works as the racecourse curator. “I do all the mowing and maintenance, that sort of stuff, it keeps me busy,’’ he said.

Todd Payne in his day job as racecourse curator at Inverell. Picture: Andrew Pearson

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But Lisztomania has been Payne’s focus this week with the trainer loading his stable star onto the horse float on Wednesday morning for the two-day road trip to Sydney.

The first leg from Inverell to Singleton, where they stayed overnight, took six hours. This enabled Payne to give Lisztomania a track gallop on Thursday morning before another four-hour drive to Sydney where he stabled the horse at Randwick with Hall of Fame trainer Les Bridge.

“I am pretty happy with how everything has come along,’’ Payne said. “I can’t fault the horse, to be honest.

“He has won at Randwick, his form on the track is very good. I know they are only ‘Highway’ races but he hasn’t missed a cheque there in five goes.’’

Lisztomania breaks a 733-day drought in winning the TAB Highway at Randwick with @mcacajamez in the saddle for Todd Payne 👏 pic.twitter.com/gHnp3WcLmE

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 8, 2025

Lisztomania was bred by Mark Taylor’s Tamac Stud near Walcha and sold to the Aquis racing and breeding operation as a yearling for $27,500.

Taylor kept in contact with the horse’s new owners and watched with anticipation when the gelding was finally ready to barrier trial.

But Taylor looked on in disbelief when Lisztomania finished more than 100m behind the second last horse in the trial.

Trainer Todd Payne with his Country Championships Final hope Lisztomania at his Inverell stables. Picture: Andrew Pearson

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“I was shattered,’’ Taylor said. “So, I asked what happened and was told the horse had chipped a bone in his knee.

“He was then put up for sale online and I was able to buy him back for $1000.’’

It’s proven to be a wise investment by Taylor as Lisztomania has won three races (and accumulated 11 placings) from 19 starts, earning more than $260,000 prizemoney going into the rich Country Championships Final.

Lisztomania is named after Franz Liszt, a famous Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist during the 1830s and 1840s.

Liszt was said to be so popular, he had his own “groupies” who followed him around Europe. The phenomenon became known as “Lisztomania” – more than a century before “Beatlemania” swept the world.

Trainer Todd Payne (left) with his son Beau, 12, daughter Riley, 15, and father Colin. Picture: Andrew Pearson

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At Randwick on Saturday, Lisztomania will also have his share of “groupies” – a large number of fans are travelling from Inverell and Walcha and they will be easy to spot.

They have had specifically made orange and red-coloured ties that are the colours Lisztomania’s jockey, Tim Clark, will be wearing in the big race.

“I think half the town of Walcha is coming down to Sydney for the race and we will all be wearing the ties!’’ Taylor said.