Lisztomania was having a good look around on the line in Saturday's BM85 at Eagle Farm - courtesy Trackside Photography.

Todd Payne and partner Kyia were just coming through the historic township of Deepwater on the NSW Northern Tablelands when I got them on the phone on Sunday morning. Even if Lisztomania hadn’t won at Eagle Farm on Saturday they would have delayed their return trip to Inverell. When the genuine gelding did deliver the goods in the BM85, there was even more reason to stay the night in Brisbane. Lisztomania had the PBL angle loader all to himself on the six hour road trip, and true to form was travelling perfectly. “You wouldn’t know he was on the float from the start to the finish of any trip,” said Todd. “He’s an absolute gentleman in everything he does. Just a kind and sensible horse.”

Lisztomania’s impeccable manners are matched only by his talents on the racecourse and that ability was evident from the day he went into work with Aiden St. Vincent at Coffs Harbour late in 2021. His thirteen starts for Aiden resulted in two wins and seven placings, including seconds in a couple of TAB Highways. All the way through he was troubled by a recurring off-fore quarter crack requiring constant attention from the farrier. Owner/breeder Mark Taylor was of the opinion the gelding had shown enough ability in three short preparations to warrant a stint in a Brisbane metropolitan stable.

“The horse was spelled after which Mark invited me to pre-train him in readiness for his relocation to Brisbane,” Todd recalled. “His foot was fine and he was ready for serious work when Mark changed direction and asked me to give Lisztomania a racing preparation. I should point out that I’d trained a few horses for him previously, and we already had a good working relationship. We’ve had a few stops and starts with the horse mainly due to the recurring quarter crack, and Saturday’s race was only his thirteenth for me. It could be a blessing going forward. His foot issue is well under control; he’s absolutely loving his racing and looks a million dollars.”

A happy group after Lisztomania's Eagle Farm win - Todd's on the right with Mark and Cathy Taylor on the left. Kyia has charge of the winner - courtesy Trackside Photography.

Lisztomania has been making steady improvement for well over a year. Going back to February 2025 he won a TAB Highway at Randwick beating the talented Exit Fee, and soon after beat all but Intervarsity in a Country Championship Qualifier at Tamworth. He ran a cracker in the $1 million Final at Randwick going under by less than half a length to a very smart horse in Know Thyself. His spring form last year was highlighted by a splendid fourth in the Kosciuszko to Clear Thinking, Gallant Star and Chidiac who’ve all confirmed the form. Lisztomania followed up with a very creditable second to Chidiac in the Barn Dance on Melbourne Cup day. He was then unplaced but not far away in two stakes races in Brisbane before going for a break.

Todd’s understanding of the seven year old has been clearly illustrated in this current campaign. Lisztomania went into Saturday’s race off nothing more than a leisurely 1000m trial at Tamworth on June 15th. Other trainers may have felt compelled to give him one more trial, but Todd was satisfied that he’d done enough for Saturday’s BM85 at Eagle Farm, the gelding’s first race start since December 20th last year. He instructed jockey Luke Nolen to go back from a wide gate and take his chances in gaining a clear run in the straight.

The Nolen polish was obvious at every stage of the race. Lisztomnia was in front of only one horse approaching the turn where Now Is the Hour led from Town Crier, Space Tracker and Bossed Up. Nolen capitalised on every gap that presented itself in the straight and had his mount balanced and gathering momentum as he dashed between Space Tracker and Now Is the Hour at the 100m. The Inverell galloper claimed the lead close to home and won narrowly from Bossed Up and Town Crier. Nolen told connections later that the horse may have switched off momentarily when he found himself in front. The jockey would be across this trait should he ride the horse again. I imagine he’ll have first call should the improving gelding gain a start in the black type Ramornie Hcp at Grafton on July 15th.

Lisztomania had only one behind him on the hometurn but gained an uninterrupted run between horses to beat Bossed Up and Town Crier - courtesy Trackside Photography.

With Lisztomania’s regular rider Luke Rolls out injured, and with top interstate jockeys certain to be available Todd maintained an open mind regarding a suitable replacement. On learning that Luke Nolen would be in action on the day he quickly brushed up on the veteran’s CV - well over 2000 career wins, 42 Gr 1’s, 3 Melbourne premierships, 2 Scobie Breasley medals and Black Caviar’s jockey in 22 of her 25 wins. Who better to steer the right course on Lisztomania in a BM85 at Eagle Farm. The visiting jockey made it a double on the day with another dashing ride to win the Battle Of the Bush on Roll Up. “Luke’s manager must have had a good grasp of the Eagle Farm form because he accepted the ride on Lisztomania the moment I rang him,” said Todd.

Luke Nolen comes back on Lisztomania. The Melbourne jockey made it a double two races later when he won the Battle Of The Bush on Roll Up - courtesy Trackside Photography.

The thrill of a win for any owner can be multiplied many times over if that owner happens to have bred the horse in question. Mark Taylor has been breeding horses for many years on his Walcha hobby farm, standing the odd stallion along the way including Botswana sire of Lisztomania’s dam Kalahari Princess. The latter had enough ability to win three races at Tamworth, one at Armidale and another at Ipswich. The unraced Botswana was a handsome grey stallion by Lion Hunter, a 1992 son of Danehill from stakes winning imported mare Pure Of Heart. The unsound Lion Hunter showed great promise in winning three races from just eight runs before going amiss. He sired a number of talented horses from very limited opportunities. In selecting a mating for Kalahari Princess in 2017 Mark opted for the shuttle stallion Dream Ahead, who was foaled in Kentucky but later did all of his racing in Europe where he won 5 prestigious Gr 1 races under the tutelage of David Simcock. He’s currently the sire of some 65 stakes winners world wide including several at Gr 1 level.

James McDonald gets Lisztomania home for the Payne stable in a TAB Hwy at Randwick in February 2025 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Racing has been Todd Payne’s primary focus since childhood days when he was a regular at northern NSW meetings with his parents. He was besotted with the atmosphere of the racetrack from a very early age and has never looked likely to beat the addiction. Todd was 26 years old when he saddled up his very first runner as a trainer at the Armidale meeting on Anzac Day 2011. An unplaced effort by Joyest Lightning left him with an element of self doubt, and it seemed an eternity before he’d have another horse ready to go to the races. It was in fact almost eight weeks before his second runner Arakoon lined up at Grafton. The shattering disappointment of Armidale was quickly dispelled when apprentice Ms. Codie Finn led all the way to win a BM50 on Arakoon, and a brand new training career was under way.

Todd Payne at Randwick after a win by Lisztomania early last year - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Todd ticked off two very important milestones at the popular Inverell New Year’s Day meeting this year. In winning his first hometown Cup with Voracious, he posted his 100th win as a commercial trainer. Lisztomania took him to win number 105 at Eagle Farm on Saturday. In between there was a winning double at Inverell on June 19th including a Woolgoolga Cup success with Shamedy.

Todd has resisted the temptation to build the size of his team. He rarely has more than a dozen horses in work enabling him to be across the many and varied characteristics of every horse in his care. Kyia has a full time role as does Todd’s daughter Rylie. “My father Colin, the man who got me hooked on this business in the first place pops in to lend a hand whenever time permits,” says Todd. “I’m very fortunate to have two excellent work riders in Ben Ross and Scott Sweedman. Ben also does a lot of my breaking in work. We all got a big kick at Eagle Farm on Saturday when Scott rode a super race on the Roma trained Ka Bling to run second in the Battle of The Bush Final.”

Todd is mildly excited about the prospects of an unraced three year old he has in the stable currently. The gelding has been named Desert Force and is by Cosmic Force out of Kalahari Princess making him a half brother to stable star Lisztomania. “Mark Taylor continues to give me loyal support and usually has four or five horses in my stable,” says Todd. “I’m praying this bloke can continue the family tradition for Mark and his wife Cathy. I can tell you I love his attitude and the way he moves on the track. He looks nothing like our superstar but seems to have some of his ability. He’s still quite a few weeks off a trial. Early days yet, but I think Kalahari Princess might have left another one who knows how to gallop.”

MODEL RACEHORSE LISZTOMANIA GRABS A METRO WIN IN BRISBANE

STEVE HART CHATS WITH LIZZIE JELFS