Proxima Dea was unwanted at the Sales, but is now unbeaten in five and a Gr 1 winner (Picture: Racing and Sports)
Stalwart Australian-based South African trainer David Payne made the headlines with a Gr 1 win at Randwick on Saturday October 24 with a filly nobody wanted, but who now remains unbeaten.
The filly was fittingly ridden by the sensational young jockey Zac Lloyd, who is the son of Payne’s former first choice rider in South Africa Jeff Lloyd.
Payne is the trainer of Proxima Dea (Tarzino), who defeated the boys to win the A$2m Gr1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m.
She won a four-horse Midway Class 1 three starts ago, a Midway Hcp two starts ago and took the step up into black type company last start, winning the Gr3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill.
In winning on Saturday, Proxima Dea made it five wins from five starts and took her career earnings to A$1.6m.
Payne was also the previous trainer to win the Spring Champion Stakes with a filly, winning it with Montefilia in 2020.
He was ecstatic with Saturday’s result.
.“To look at her you wouldn’t give much for her but she seems to have everything – guts, heart and class,’’ Payne said.
“I said to [jockey] Zac [Lloyd] she will outstay them, we can’t have a sit and sprint. I told him if nothing goes, you go, get up outside the leader and go early on her because we know the further the better with this filly.
“She can go to the Gr1 VRC Oaks now. The extra 500m won’t be a problem, she will love it and we can give her an easier ride.
“This filly keeps surprising me. Montefilia was a good filly but I think she stays better than Montefilia, I think Montefilia was maybe maximum 2000m.’’
Bred by Transtasman Breeders, Proxima Dea Proxima Dea failed to attract a bid at the sales, and when Ciaron Maher signed for her at the $300,000 reserve and took her home, he couldn’t sell her either.
Owners Hugh Docherty and Andy Giles, who bought her dam online for $7000, took her back and sent her to David Payne.
And the rest is history
“She is only going to get better the further they go,” Payne said.
