Racing: Payne juveniles hard to beat

David Payne's winning run with two-year-olds is showing no signs of slowing down, with the trainer sending three promising youngsters around at Rosehill today.

Payne is not sure how many juvenile races he has landed this season but believes it is around eight winners.

Opening the batting for the stable is Cortina Gal who is the $3 favourite in the www.theraces.com.au Handicap (1100m).

The Flying Spur filly is undefeated from two starts at the provincials and comes off a 2-length win at Kembla Grange over 1000m on June 13.

"This is her toughest test by far, coming to town and getting topweight (58kg) is a big test," Payne said yesterday.

"She did everything she had to last time and the run will bring her on too.

"The track looks like it will be a Heavy 8 at this stage so we are going into the unknown but she's a nice filly."

Payne is hoping to map out a spring campaign with Cortina Gal.

"If she can pull this off we'll give her a couple of weeks in the paddock before bringing her back for something decent at the carnival," Payne said.

The Rosehill trainer has two representatives in the other two-year-old race, the Catholiccare Handicap (1400m).

Sir Gwynn is a half-brother to the Clarry Conners-trained 2006 Queensland Oaks (2400m) winner Allow.

The Cape Cross colt is out of the Machiavellian mare Gweneira and finished 10th at his only start to Manhattan Rain in the Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in March.

"He's a very promising staying horse and this might be a bit short for him and I think he'll be a real Derby horse later on," Payne said.

Stablemate Magic Model, who was a late scratching from last Saturday's Randwick meeting because her race was transferred from the course proper to the Kensington track, goes up against Sir Gwynn.

The Choisir filly has not raced since her seventh to Headway in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 14.

"I think she'll be a lovely filly later on," Payne said.

"If all goes well I'd like to head to the Golden Rose or something like that with her."

The group two Golden Rose (1400m) is at Rosehill on August 29.

An improving track and a 1kg weight advantage have boosted trainer Chris Waller's confidence Come On Cugat can turn the tables on Nuclear Sky in the Winter Cup, the feature staying event today.

Nuclear Sky beat Come On Cugat by a short half-head when they met in the Stayers' Cup over the Rosehill 2400m on June 13 and they meet over the same course and distance today.

"He will appreciate the track improving," Waller said.

"He nearly beat Nuclear Sky last time and there's more weight between them so I think he can beat him this time around."

Nuclear Sky carried 58kg, 5kg more than Come On Cugat in the Stayers' Cup, and goes up to 59.5kg in his attempt to win back-to-back Winter Cups. Come On Cugat goes up half a kilo to 53.5kg and will once again be ridden by Jeff Penza.

Last-start Sandown winner Fairygem was the $4 second favourite with TAB Sportsbet yesterday behind Nuclear Sky ($3.40) and has excelled on wet tracks in Victoria.

Niwot was at $4.40 while Come On Cugat was a $6 chance.

Rosehill was rated a heavy (8) yesterday with some showers predicted.

Track manager Lindsay Murphy said if it didn't rain there could be an upgrade to a slow (7).

- AAP