Exciting young Australian jockey Patrick Payne lit up Happy Valley last night with a brilliant, 2,250-1 four-timer. Payne, the riding sensation from Victoria, took the second and fourth events on David Hayes' talented first-season imports, Topspin and Kewins, the opener on Bruce Hutchison's Senator and the last on the Gary Ng Ting-keung-trained Best One. Payne has now ridden 10 winners since starting a Club Jockey stint at the beginning of March, while Hayes' double lifted him alongside defending champion Ivan Allan at the head of the trainer standings on the 37-winner mark. Hayes' double, as well as doing him the power of good in the race for training honours, also left him singing Payne's praises. 'He's a fantastic young rider. I'd have to say that he has this Happy Valley circuit well and truly sussed out and it can be a very tricky place to ride, especially when the rail is out and the ground on the inside is churned up,' said Hayes. 'Damien [Oliver] was very good round here but Patrick looks just as good and is probably the equal of Damien as a jockey. They are both two extremely talented riders. World-class.' Hayes' newcomer, Topspin, pulled right away from his rivals to score like a quality recruit when taking the 1,200-metre, Class Four second event by half a length from Sound Lover, with the favourite Citadel finishing on strongly out wide. Citadel might not have caught Topspin, but his chances of doing so were badly affected by jumping from gate 12. With the rail out a further three metres from the 'C' position, the marker pole was virtually on the turn. Prior to the race, Allan had called it the worst start anywhere in the world, and he's absolutely right. Topspin had been working with tremendous fluency prior to this winning debut and Hayes went on: 'He's done his job tonight so I won't be sacrificing him this season in my quest for the title. He may run once or twice more at most and, hopefully, next season should make up into a useful miler. I've got a pretty high opinion of him.' Kewins had been off the track for a number of months since a disappointing effort over a mile at the Valley last time, prior to that he forced the promising Tres Vite all the way to the line at Sha Tin. Last night he was always travelling well for Payne and went on to score bravely by a head from Trademark, who is still improving. Hayes continued: 'Kewins may be the type of horse who benefits from a long break between his races and racing fresh. That's how I'll be campaigning him.' Senator benefited from a move to 1,800 metres in the opening event to give Hutchison his eighth winner of the season and end a frustrating run of decent placed efforts from the white-haired mentor's runners. The Alex Wong Yu-on-trained Majestic Conqueror was backed as if defeat were out of the question in this opener, jumping fractionally above even-money. But he was flat to the boards most of the way before keeping on well in the straight. He might have run third but for meeting interference and should be given another chance when back at Sha Tin. Payne was never in any danger in the last when cruising home on Best One with Hutchison's Aspiration running the quinella. David Hill and Philip Robinson's good run of form continued when Don Pedro finally opened his account when staying on well to take the third event. Brian Kan Ping-chee's Fat Choy Together completed a hat-trick of staying events in the feature event and can improve again when sent out over the maximum 2,400 metres.
