FORMER South African trainer David Payne has runners with different goals as Al's Magic Miss and Olinoor head to Warwick Farm tomorrow.
Al's Magic Miss, a three-year-old filly, takes on older horses and will defend an unbeaten first-up record, while lightly raced five-year-old Olinoor will be asked to rise to another challenge.
''She is a nice filly and at this time of year the three-year-olds can match it with the older ones,'' Payne said. ''We are getting her ready for the Light Fingers [Stakes on February 18] and this is the right place for her to start. Her record is not that good on paper but she has always raced the better fillies.''
Al's Magic Miss has won twice in her 10-start career and both were when resuming.
''She goes well fresh but she hasn't been far away from fillies like Streama and Karuta Queen. She is a little stronger this time and will take some catching on Saturday.''
Olinoor is another example of what Payne has built his career on since coming to Australia. He wins races with patched-up horses.
Payne has decided it is now or ever for the gelding, which has had five starts for three wins, the past two on end at Hawkesbury and Canterbury last month.
''He just keeps improving but I'm really throwing him in at the deep again at Warwick Farm,'' Payne said.
''He is very lightly raced and it is a case of pushing to see how far he will go. It is a lot tougher for him on Saturday but he is the sort of horse that can could step up again.''
Payne is searching for that group 1 horse to add to Unearthly's win in the 2003 Flight Stakes as his only top-level success in Australia after a great career in South Africa.
''I have plenty of horses that look like they will be capable of picking up group 2s and 3s at the moment, but you are always looking for that real good one,'' he said.
''We seem to have had those sorts of horses a lot in Australia. We have won the group 2s and 3s and had group 1 placings but haven't been able to find another Unearthly to crack it for a big one. Al's Magic Miss is a good example. She is good enough to pick up some black type but is just off those top fillies, hopefully being a little stronger now she can take the next step.''
One area where Payne has a top-level performer is being master to rising star Chad Schofield, who will ride all five of his runners at Warwick Farm.
Schofield's two-kilogram claim will come in handy on two-year-old Risky Blonde in the opening race on the card as the rider returns from suspension. ''She is not that big, just like Chad, but she got the job done at Gosford on debut,'' Payne said.
''This is the next step for her on the way to the Inglis race in a couple of weeks.''
Although Schofield is a clear leader in the Sydney apprentices' premiership, Payne believes he has only scratched the surface of his talent.
''He is a good kid and won't be going off the rails,'' he said.
''He is still learning and growing. He does the right things on and off the track and is going to be around for a long time.
''I still think he will be a better rider when he puts on a couple of extra kilos and becomes stronger.''
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