The Not A Single Doubt mare Payroll will head to the Gold Coast in top form after adding the Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield to her recent win in the Group III Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
The Richard Laming-trainee will be out to avenge her defeat in the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy back in January when third behind the top-class Stratum Star and Feltre.
Given a cosy run by Damien Oliver, Payroll finished powerfully to defeat Jacquinot Bay (Galileo) by one and three-quarter lengths with Coldstone (FR) (Gold Away) a long neck away third. (photo Grant Courtney )
"She's taken a little while to fully mature but she's really hit her straps now," Laming said.
"She looks tremendous, is holding her condition well and is racing well.
"To see the way she won and run the time she did bodes well for where we are going."
"The Magic Millions Trophy is a $1 million race and she finished third in it (in January) and she's a bigger and stronger mare now," Laming said.
"We've been patient with her and she's rewarding us now.
"When there is that sort of money at stake it wasn't hard to bypass some of the country cups and she freshened up nicely.
"The run today will bring her on terrific for the Gold Coast race.
"At this stage, she's due to fly on Wednesday week and she'll have a gallop at the Gold Coast the Tuesday before the race."
Purchased by her trainer for $80,000 from the Macquarie Stud draft at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Payroll advances her record to 5 wins, 4 seconds and 4 thirds from 23 starts with earnings of $521,650.
She is a half-sister to Listed Rowley Mile winner Arbeitsam (Snitzel) out of the Red Ransom mare Workhard who has missed three times and slipped once since foaling Arbeitsam.
From the family of dual Group I winner Bawalaksana and multiple Group III winner Damaschino, Workhard was covered by Scissor Kick last spring.
