Racing: Dream comes true thanks to 'little star'

Michelle Payne lived a dream when she became the first woman to ride a Group One winner at Randwick, steering Yosei to victory in the Sires' Produce Stakes.

Trained by Stuart Webb at Caulfield, Yosei ($18) outgunned Skilled ($11) in a fighting finish to prevail by a short half-head.

Payne had to use all her strength in the final 100m of the 1400m feature and even then she wasn't sure of the result.

"She really toughed it out but I didn't want to act as if I'd won because I wasn't sure," Payne said. "It's amazing.

"She is so little and I'm just rapt. She's a little star.

"It's a dream come true to win a Group One race at Randwick."

Webb, 40, is the right-hand man for prominent trainer Robert Smerdon at the Aquanita establishment and has just two horses in work.

The heavily supported Toorak Toff, who started at $4.80 after as much as $26 was offered, was fourth just behind Hinchinbrook ($5.50).

Favourite More Strawberries ($3.90) was never a winning threat, finishing seventh.

But the honours were with Payne who rode her first Group One winner last spring when she claimed the Toorak Handicap aboard the Bart Cummings-trained Allez Wonder who she rides in next week's Doncaster.

Three-year-old filly Melito upstaged her older rivals and spoiled the party of Sydney's favourite mare Hot Danish when she won the Group One TJ Smith Stake.

The Gerald Ryan-trained Melito maintained her perfect second-up record when she sprinted to grab Hot Danish near the line.

Mic Mac was third in what was Hot Danish's seventh attempt to win her first Group One race.

- AAP