
Patrick and Michelle Payne, along with jockey Billy Egan, continued their remarkable success in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m), with promising two-year-old Buccleuch producing a dominant display at Flemington.
The trio has enjoyed a strong association with the race, and Egan added a second win to his record after guiding Cherry Tortoni to victory in 2020. For Patrick Payne, it marked his third win in the feature event.
Buccleuch justified his $1.45 favouritism with bookmakers, settling in midfield before unleashing a powerful turn of foot to win by 3-1/4 lengths over Bermondsey ($31), with Arcora ($4.40) finishing third.
Michelle Payne indicated the colt would likely bypass a heavy spring campaign in favour of targeting the autumn features in 2026.
“He’s just still learning what it’s all about, he got a bit keen,” she said.
“But just a lovely horse who has always showed us really nice potential.
Patrick’s really keen on the autumn for him. He said he’s doing it now nicely against the winter sort of class two-year-olds, but he might be a bit left behind in the early three-year-old days, but look, he’s only doing what is asked of him.”
“He’s all class and a lovely galloper.”
Egan, who has partnered many smart gallopers, compared the win favourably to Cherry Tortoni’s effort in the same race five years ago.
“He put a bit more of a margin on them than what Cherry Tortoni did when he won,” Egan said.
“I think the horse that ran second to Cherry Tortoni (Alcyone) was probably half-handy itself anyway.
He was probably a little happier with himself going into today’s race, so I just took a couple of strides to get him back under me, and then when he switched off, he just travelled like a winner the whole way.”