DAVID PAYNE’S TWENTY HORSE STABLE PRODUCES TWO TALENTED FILLIES FOR THE SPRING

Bangkok Hottie raced right on the speed before scoring an emphatic win in the Furious Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The spring in David Payne’s step of late is only partly attributable to his recent hip replacement. A couple of exciting three year old fillies he has in the stable might also have something to do with his buoyant mood. Right at the moment he has only fifteen horses in work, but that figure is about to bounce back to his preferred number of twenty as several spellers return to work. One of Payne’s special fillies snared a Gr 2 at Randwick on Saturday, while the other is getting ready to embark on a black type campaign.

Saturday’s winner firstly. Bangkok Hottie made it three wins and two placings from just six starts with a determined win in the Furious Stakes, second leg of the prestigious Princess Series. The much sought after quartet of races was inaugurated in 1985, with Angst and Samantha Miss the only three year old fillies to win all four legs so far. The prospects of a clean sweep in 2026 are already off the table, with Pembrey victorious in the Silver Shadow Stakes and Bangkok Hottie a convincing winner of the Furious Stakes.

Samantha Miss, one of only two fillies to win all four legs of the Princess Series. Here she is completing the quartet in the 2008 Flight Stakes for Kris Lees and Hugh Bowman - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The Too Darn Hot filly had won two consecutive races in late April before going to the spelling paddock - a maiden 2YO at Warwick Farm with Zac Lloyd and an open 2YO at Randwick with Ashley Morgan. David Payne isn’t shy about running mature three year olds against older horses in the Midway races and did exactly that when Bangkok Hottie resumed at Randwick on August 8th. Despite a wide draw and the fact that she was by far the youngest runner in the field, Bangkok Hottie went out a pronounced favourite at $2.10.

Chad Schofield went back from the 10 gate but was unable to find a spot any better than three wide. Bangkok Hottie moved up four deep at the 500m, and actually wandered out a little further as they swept into the straight. She looked menacing for a few strides inside the 200m, but was grabbed by Melanite who secured a dream rails run. Bangkok Hottie still looked likely to run second but was grabbed late for that spot by Cosy Corner. It was obvious the run was going to do her the world of good.

David and owner John Thompson were disappointed when the filly again drew badly for Saturday’s 1200m Furious Stakes, but decided nevertheless not to go too far back. Kerrin McEvoy, having his first ride on Bangkok Hottie was in for a pleasant surprise. Not only did his mount begin like a flash, but apart from Pembrey nothing else was keen to go forward. McEvoy found himself outside the leader with minimal effort. Pembrey led turning for home from Bangkok Hottie with Chilly Girl third on the fence inside Oh Yes She Did. Another Payne runner Krasina was fairly prominent from former Perth filly Striking Alibi while James McDonald was trapped three deep on Chayan.

Favourite backers were stunned to see Pembrey beaten on the rise while David Payne was slightly concerned to see Bangkok Hottie hit a flat spot for fifty metres. Chilly Girl looked the winner when she darted along the fence to fleetingly grab the lead, but Bangkok Hottie suddenly dropped into another gear and had the race won in a twinkling. She was resolute right to the line to beat Chilly Girl by a half length with Striking Alibi a very promising third. Cherry Bomshell flashed home late to beat all but the placegetters. “I was a bit worried when she hit that flat spot, but it was good to see her pick up so quickly,” said Payne. “She gave the impression the 1400m of the Tea Rose in a fortnight will be very much to her liking.”

After hitting a flat spot on top of the rise Bangkok Hottie dropped into another gear to beat Chilly Girl and Striking Alibi in Saturday's Gr. 2 Furious Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

With six race starts now under her belt Bangkok Hottie is racing like a seasoned professional, but that wasn’t always her preferred option. “She was always in a hurry early days,” David recalled. “I remember we worked her behind other horses for many weeks without even pulling her out. She slowly got the message and gave all of that nonsense away. As you saw on Saturday she now flies the gate and comes straight back to her rider. That’s going to be a benefit when she steps up to 1400m in the Tea Rose and 1600m in the Flight Stakes.”

David Payne with Kerrin McEvoy after Bangkok Hottie's win. The jockey has committed to ride the filly right through her Spring preparation - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The expat South African horseman was no more pleased with Bangkok Hottie than he was with Promixa Dea at Rosehill Gardens the previous Saturday. This particular three year old filly has the most interesting of back stories. She was bred by her owners and earmarked for the yearling sales with a $300,000 reserve. When she failed to reach that figure, arrangements were made for her to go to Ciaron Maher who had indicated she would almost certainly be syndicated among existing stable clients. When the filly was still “ownerless” after several months the decision was made to transfer her to the David Payne stable.

“I can understand why any potential owner would have been discouraged,” said Payne. “There’s nothing wrong with her pedigree. She’s by dual Gr 1 winner Tarzino out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Invisible Coin making her a sister to the very well performed Gypsy Goddess, winner of the Queensland Oaks and a placegetter in the ATC Oaks and Golden Eagle. Her looks were the problem. She was as plain as day and very lightly framed. I actually inspected her pre-sale and I’ve got to say she simply wasn’t a good enough type to attract bids at that kind of money. You just never know with horses. It’s a different story when she stretches out at the gallop. She’s fluent, perfectly balanced and looks every cent a $300,000 filly.”

Proxima Dea looks much more stylish today than she did at the 2025 Inglis Easter Sale - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The filly’s relationship to Gypsy Goddess inspired her name. “Proxima Dea” translated from Latin means “Next Goddess” or “Another Goddess”. David had long stopped looking at her as a type by the time he took her to the races. So convinced was the trainer that he had a budding staying filly on his hands, he opted to run her first up in a 1400m 2YO on the Kensington in mid July. Punters didn’t share Dave’s view and she started unwanted at $51.00. She actually led in the race, was seriously threatened by Defenseman over the last 100m but refused to yield. It was a skinny win but the filly looked every bit the serious racehorse.

Conscious of the possible effects of a pretty demanding debut, the astute trainer left it almost a month before producing Proxima Dea again. The mission was a Cl 1 Midway over the Gosford mile, and this time with only three rivals she lined up as a $1.65 favourite. She travelled outside the leader Olivia Mia in a very slowly run race - so slow in fact that jockey Chad Schofield quickened appreciably at the 600m to grab a half length lead. Proxima Dea looked vulnerable in the straight but again refused to yield and scraped home narrowly from Sirius Moss. David wasn’t concerned about the narrow margin. He felt the filly was still unsure of what had to be done, and certain she’d appreciate more ground.

In keeping with his penchant for testing mature three year olds against older horses, he nominated the lightly raced filly for an 1800m Midway at Rosehill Gardens on August 29th. Impatient to try her off the pace he instructed Braith Nock to begin on terms with her rivals before looking for cover. It worked out better than expected. Doradus went out with a tearaway lead in the middle stages and at the halfway mark was nine or ten lengths clear of Orange Tsunami and Federal Reserve with Proxima Dea travelling generously in fourth spot. This time, with a “bunny” to chase the Tarzino filly knew exactly what she was doing. She chased down Doradus and was very strong on the line to nail the favourite in the last two strides with Prefer Diamonds a good third. Interesting to note that the filly was on her way to a spelling farm the following morning for a ten day “freshen.”

Proxima Dea (Braith Nock) was very strong on the line in beating Doradus and Prefer Diamonds in a Rosehill Midway 29/08/2026 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

The Midway win was a very encouraging performance by a filly giving age to every other runner in the race. She was tractable, focused and looked every inch like a filly who’s going to stay beyond 1800m. David Payne’s ability to assess staying potential is well documented. Montefilia was having only her sixth start when she won the 2020 Flight Stakes, and her seventh when she stepped up to 2000m to win the Spring Champion Stakes only a week later. Over the next eighteen months the giant mare would add another two Gr 1’s to her CV.

Proxima Dea carries exactly the same colours as those sported by four time Gr. 1 winner Montefilia seen here winning the 2020 Flight Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

David isn’t suggesting for one moment that Proxima Dea is in Montefilia’s class even if she does carry the same pale blue, orange and white colours. He simply feels this filly is getting better all the time and has done enough to warrant a crack at loftier goals. The filly will next appear in the 1800m Gr 3 Gloaming Stakes on October 10th. A good showing will see her step up to 2000m two weeks later in the Gr 1 Spring Champion Stakes. David will then make the call as to whether or not she goes to the VRC Crown Oaks on November 5th. It’s a pretty tough schedule for a plain little yearling sale reject, but stranger things have happened. A decade ago, another Rosehill trained filly Lasqueti Spirit led throughout to win the Crown Oaks as a maiden at odds of $101.00.