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Artistic Rock's ready for Randwick test

Tuesday 9 February 2010
By Mathew Toogood

Trainer David Payne will use Artistic Rock's next couple of runs to test the waters for a possible Oaks start.

Artistic Rock will line up in the Exceed And Excel Handicap (1800m) at Randwick on Wednesday and Payne believes the three-year-old is knocking on the door of a win.

The Rock Of Gibraltar filly finished second in an 1800m 3YO Benchmark 64 event at Randwick last start on Australia Day as $2.50 favourite.

"She's been very unlucky, but I hope it's her day tomorrow," Payne said.

"It's just been one of those things, she's been a bit of a victim of circumstances. She should have won last start, it wasn't her fault, the jockey was caught sleeping and she ended up being stuck for a run."

Kerrin McEvoy jumps aboard Artistic Rock this time for his first ride on the filly.

McEvoy will ride all three of Payne's runners on Wednesday - Artistic Rock, Cosmo Gal (Panorama Terraces Handicap) and Sleek Machine (Autumn Carnival On Sale Handicap).

Artistic Rock has never raced over further than 1800m but Payne is keen to continue stepping the filly up in distance.

"We're headed towards the (AJC) Oaks with her but she'll have to step up to reach that level," he said.

Payne also has the option of targeting the Queensland Oaks if he doesn't think the filly can be competitive in the AJC Australian Oaks (2400m).

Cosmo Gal will resume over 1000m with Payne electing to kick-off her campaign in midweek company rather than start in the Widden Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, a race for which she is also nominated.

"I'll run her tomorrow (Wednesday), it's an easier race," Payne said.

Cosmo Gal has only had one start, finishing 10th in the Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick on October 3.

"She's only a small filly, there's not much of her, but I think she's a bit stronger now than when she ran in the Gimcrack," Payne said.

The trainer expects Cosmo Gal to be competitive in her return but is also wary of the opposition.

"There's a couple in there who might be hard to beat, one of them ran only a few lengths behind Beneteau last start and he franked that form on the weekend," he said.

The John Thompson-trained Not A Pretender is the horse with the form around Beneteau.

The Royal Academy filly finished fourth to the Paul Messara-trained colt on debut at Randwick on Australia Day, beaten just over three lengths.

Payne's other runner on the day, Sleek Machine, is dropping back to 1000m after being well beaten over 1350m at Wyong last start on January 19.

The four-year-old won a Hawkesbury Maiden over 1000m four starts back.