Payne team ready to build on momentum

Michelle Payne has been busy of late not only working with brother Patrick in their training partnership but also promoting a new initiative in collecting and redistributing unused horse feed to farmers and livestock in need of it especially in drought affected areas.

The positivity around that idea will hopefully translate to success at Flemington on Saturday for the pair with a good team of runners including one who will be trying to emulate the success of a smart galloper formerly in Patrick's care.

Cherry Tortoni was a revelation of the winter of 2020 when winning the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) and the same red silks with a white cap will be carried by impressive last start winner Buccleuch who is rated the $1.85 favourite to repeat that success.

"He's a lovely horse that helps himself and at last start he stepped a little bit slow but Billy Egan was able to get him into a nice rhythm to hold the position he wanted to," Michelle told RadioTAB.

"He went to sleep and when Billy asked him to take a gap and quicken, he was ready to do it."

"They are the types of horse you want in your stable and he looks like he can progress.

"It looks like a really nice race for him on Saturday and we are excited for the future with him."

A son of Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) winner Peltzer, who also finished fifth in the Golden Rose (1400m) behind star stallion Ole Kirk, Buccleuch looks to be the most promising of the foals had by Fastnet Rock mare Golden Fastnet who raced in France.

Payne is less concerned about the 59-kilos Buccleuch will have to carry this time as the compressed weights scale with the minimum of 54-kilos being a common part of racing taking the sting out of the impost over the mile journey.

"He's a big, strong two-year-old and we wouldn't run him if we didn't think he was capable of doing that," she added.

Current stable pin-up Jimmy The Bear will start in the Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Final (1600m) after winning at Flemington over 1620-metres on the same card in June.

'His last start win was exceptional and he dominated when he got the gap," Payne said.

"He went to the line with ease and it was one of the best wins of his career. He'll need to as he has some competition in the Final."

Jimmy The Bear is rated the $6 second favourite in the Championship Final while the Paynes also have Frontline Action and Silver Pledge lining up in the Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m).

Michelle believes that the latter is progressive and can go on with the task after his victory over 2400-metres at Sandown last month, while Frontline Action could be "the forgotten horse" after finishing just outside of the placings at Flemington over 2000-metres on June 21.