Rosehill trainer David Payne likes to find a classic type at the sales and in Toulouse he might have found another Ace High.
The son of Lope De Vega has followed a similar path to last year's Spring Champion Stakes and Victoria Derby winner and he starts his push towards the group 1s in the Ming Dynasty Quality at Rosehill on Saturday.
Spring stayer: David Payne-trained Toulouse runs to victory at Rosehill in June.
“He was a bit of a bargain at $50,000 and we have already got that back before he has got to where he will be at his best. He looked a classic horse and his dam is by Carnegie, so he is just going to get better as he steps up,” Payne said. "I like working with these horse because it takes time to bring their best out of them.
“We are on the same path as last year after Saturday: the Stan Fox, the Gloaming and the Spring Champion Stakes, then the Derby is there if he is up to it.
“He is going to be better as the journeys get longer but he will run well on the weekend.”
Payne has a system with these staying prospects that has served him well with Criterion and Ace High.
Toulouse, like the former pair, had a two-year-old preparation where he raced at black type level. He then came back for a couple of wins over 1400m in the winter to get him through the grades and have some fitness heading to the spring.
“We have always known that as a three-year-old, he was going to have his time and hopefully we will see in the next couple of months,” Payne said. “You need to give these horses a good grounding and it is a good place to start. We have left a fair bit of improvement in him because his goals are later in the spring."
Payne could have a big team heading to Melbourne with Victoria Derby winner Ace High on the cups path and impressive Tarka to step up to stakes grade after his win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
“James McDonald rode him and came back and asked where he is going, which is probably the best sign,” Payne said. “He was bred and retained by Kia Ora because they thought he would be a nice horse.
“He has a big action and is bred to stay, so I can’t wait to see him over 2000m and beyond. He will head to the same races as Toulouse, and it will be interesting to see how they improve during the spring.”
Beteasy seems to agree with Payne's assessment of Toulouse as he is a $9 chance in the Ming Dyynasty, where Danawi is the $3.70 favourite, but the same price for the Spring Champion Stakes.
Tarka has been made a $26 hope in the Spring Champion after his mile win at Warwick Farm.
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