Victorian horseman Patrick Payne will attempt to build on the work of the late Guy Walter as top staying filly Zanbagh’s new trainer.

Zanbagh finished second in both the VRC and Australian Oaks for Walter before the trainer’s sudden death last month.

Walter’s wife Wendy announced last week she would relinquish her recently-issued trainer’s licence in early July, prompting Zanbagh’s owners Sandy and Kathy Tait to send the three-year-old to Payne.

Payne enjoyed great success on Walter-trained horses for the Tait family in his riding days, winning a host of top races on horses such as Tie The Knot and Spinning Hill.

Payne lauded Walter’s handling of Zanbagh, which he said left the horse in prime condition to begin training for her spring campaign.

“You don’t want to pick up a horse in these circumstances but she’s arrived in good order,” Payne told Melbourne radio station RSN.

“George Hanlon was quoted as saying once that a good trainer leaves something in a horse for the next trainer.

“Guy Walter certainly did that. She’s sound and I’m happy to be training her.”

Payne said Zanbagh needed to mature further despite her impressive three-year-old form and would be a better horse next autumn.

“She’s going to have to improve a bit. She looks like she’s sort of halfway there so maybe as a four-year-old in the autumn might be better for her,” Payne said.

By Bernadini, Zanbagh is a daughter of Wild Iris who Walter trained to win the 2004 Australian Oaks for the Taits.