Personality Profile February 2003

David Payne

An outstanding jockey and then trainer in South Africa, David Payne’s life was at the crossroads as he turned 50. Concerned for the future of his family and anxious to make a mark on the international stage, David and his wife Merle made the decision to move to Sydney. As GRAEME KELLY reports in this profile, the move was not without problems but with winners now appearing from the trainer’s Randwick base it seems the expert horseman is set for success in his new home.

DAVID PAYNE found himself in an invidious situation as the 21st century and a new era was approaching.

  Respected as the maestro of Kwa-Zulu Natal where he had his base, David had for more than a quarter of a century been renowned as one of South Africa’s leading trainers.

  However he and his wife Merle, with the long-term welfare of their children Gary and Tracey very much in mind, were becoming more and more concerned about their future in a country increasingly troubled by racial disturbances.

  After going through considerable anguish David, with Merle’s support, eventually decided to accept the challenge and join the exodus from South Africa to Sydney.

  “We have two children and we had to think of their future,” he said. “What is happening in Zimbabwe is very sad and we were becoming concerned that South Africa was going the same way.

  “In the end we felt we had no alternative.

  “After giving everything a lot of thought we finally chose Sydney. The racing and the prizemoney are very good and, also, I’d been to the yearling sales so I knew the place.”

  Both David and his wife realised it was an enormous gamble - banking on his ability to establish himself as a trainer in Australia and to ultimately provide his family with increased freedom as well as a much better quality of life.

  “It was a worrying time,” David said. “I was over 50 and I had been winding down my stable at home.

  “There was a time, after we arrived, when I’d be awake most of the night wondering what was going to happen. I’d often break into a cold sweat thinking what might be.”

  After enduring a series of trials and tribulations lasting quite a few months, everything began, appropriately, falling into place for him on Melbourne Cup Day when Danehill three year-old Sierra Dane notched up his stable’s first Australian victory in scoring at Randwick. Then 11 days later there was a second success when Fleecing, a four year-old by Anabaa, overcame an outside barrier to win convincingly at Rosehill.

  “It was a great relief when Sierra Dane and then Fleecing won,” said David, who is a humble person and quietly spoken.

  “We had some bad luck and little problems early on, but that always happens in racing stables and it’s behind us. It’s all going well now and I couldn’t be happier. We are starting to get results.

  “What do they say? The hard work is starting to bear fruit.”

  Subsequently Sierra Dane, who crossed the Tasman to join David’s team, was returned to her New Zealand trainer Paul O’Sullivan after registering the one win and three seconds from five outings while in Sydney.

  David then began the New Year in propitious fashion when Miss Helterskelter took the Schweppes Handicap (1200m) at Royal Randwick on January 1.

  The victory of Miss Helterskelter, a four year-old by Brocco from the Zeditave mare Farinelli, was further testament to David’s prowess as a trainer. Not only was it the mare’s first outing from his stable, the race was her first start for nearly nine months so, presumably, there are more wins ahead.

  However David still has a trump card yet to play in four year-old Carnegie Express, who captured six successive races featuring the Canterbury Guineas and Rosehill Guineas leading up to his much discussed second to Don Eduardo in the Australian Derby, when previously prepared by Gai Waterhouse.

  Unfortunately at the height of the spring, at a time when David was looking for a booster, Carnegie Express suffered from ailments and problems which forced him on to the sidelines.

  “He’s back, and is a million dollars,” David said. “He’s put on weight, his feet are fine and we are preparing him for The BMW, the Sydney Cup and all the major races coming up in the autumn.”

  It is a region David is very familiar with for he has enjoyed successes at the very highest level both as a jockey and as a trainer.

  Born in Natal in January, 1948 he began as an apprentice jockey at the age of 15. After completing his primary schooling he attended Mansfield High, which meant walking to school past Greyville Racecourse which is situated close to the centre of Durban.

  “I would watch the horses training, and because I was only small, I decided to apply for an apprenticeship with Mr Herman Brown.

  “I learned a great deal from him about feeding and caring for horses, which was useful when I turned to training.”

  A naturally gifted horseman David was twice champion apprentice and then champion jockey before weight began catching up with him as the 1960s were closing.

  “I decided to retire as a jockey and took out a training licence in December, 1970, but I did come back and have a few rides in 1971 before I concentrated completely on training.”

  Engaged as a private trainer by Norman Ferguson, for whom he had ridden winners, he secured stables at the massive Summerveld Training Centre which caters for the neighbouring Greyville, Clairwood and Scotsville courses.

  Later the internationally known Laurie Jaffee also became one of his owners.

  “I remember Laurie saying to me after I’d beaten him in a couple of races, that if he couldn’t beat me he’d have to join me.”

  In those early stages David only had about 10 horses in work but his first runner in 1971, Early Bird, was a winner.

  The following year David struck the jackpot with the four year-old In Full Flight, who coincidentally as his life’s cycle has evolved was by New South Wales, winner of the Rothman’s July Handicap-Gr.1, the country’s premier handicap, at Turffontein.

  He had previously won the event as a jockey in 1968 on Chimboraa and at 24 he was, and still is, the youngest trainer to ever win South Africa’s most prestigious race.

  In Full Flight went on to establish a record of 16 wins from 21 starts, with victories including feature events such as the Bull Brand Jockeys International, Cape Guineas, Queen’s Plate, Woolavington Cup, Champion Stakes at Gr.1 level.

  “It was a great start,” David said. “He is the best horse I’ve ever had and I don’t think I’ll ever get another one like him.

  “He would have been an outstanding horse anywhere in the world.”

  Happily in those early years a series of top class performers like Armistice, who won the first of David’s three Gold Cups in 1974, went through his stables. After that Great Sun, King’s Rhapsody, Ton Up and War Ribbon ensured the stable’s winning streak continued even after In Full Flight sadly suffered a haemorrhage and died.

  By 1981-82 David was South African Champion National Trainer, a title he was to earn again in 1984-5, and was well on his way to creating a record of winning 20 Natal training premierships.

  Around that time another two brilliant performers, Prince Florimund and Spanish Pool, entered his stables.

  “Prince Florimund was the next best horse I had to In Full Flight. He went to America and raced against John Henry. I’d say Spanish Pool was the next best after that.”

  The domestic victories of Prince Florimund who was also successful in the United States, featured the South African Guineas, South African 2000, Clairwood Winter Handicap and Champion Stakes.

  A year or so later David won a number of feature races, including the In Full Flight Stakes, Transvaal Champion Stakes, Sun International, Clairwood Champion Stakes, Champion Stakes, Queen’s Plate and Clairwood Champion Stakes - with Spanish Pool, who was by Gay Fandango.

  As the 1980s were unfolding David established a unique record by winning South Africa’s premier sprint, the Computaform Sprint-Gr.1 (1000m) with War Ribbon (1982), Smackeroo (1984), Tucaman (1985) and Military Song (1986). He also had two further Gold Cup winners in Icona (1991) and Milleverof (1995), while in 1993 - as well as training the winner of the J & B Metropolitan, Imperious Sue - he also saddled the second and third placegetters in the race.

  David also had a high opinion of Petrava, a New Zealand-bred by Imposing, whose wins featured the Fillies Guineas, Cape Fillies Guineas, Paddock Stakes, In Full Flight Stakes, South African Fillies Guineas and Germiston November Handicap.

  After a 1996 mating with Maroof, Petrava produced Hoeberg who won the Strelitzia Stakes, Debutante Stakes, Golden Slipper, Cape Fillies Guineas, Paddock Stakes South African Fillies Guineas, Woolavington Stakes and other races before being brought to Australia by David.

  However, she failed to recapture her South African form and was retired to stud after having just a few starts in Sydney.

  However, as he approached 2000 winners and with his 98 Gr.1 successes including every major South African race at least once, David began winding back and started to think about the direction his future should follow. As well as being concerned about the situation in his homeland, he had an urge to test his skills on the international stage.

  “The quarantine laws have been strict in South Africa because of ‘horse sickness’ and that makes it very difficult to take a horse out of the country,” he said.

  “When Hoeberg went to Singapore and Dubai to race early last year I had to send her to Laurie Laxon to train, before she came back to me.”

  He also knew, through previous connections while attending the yearling sales in Karaka and Sydney, that he had an opportunity to establish a powerful client base in this part of the world.

  Happily for David that all came together once he had secured accommodation at Randwick.

  As a result Bob Lapointe, Bruce Reed, Sir Patrick Hogan, Peter and Philip Vela, Gary Chittick, Steve Bodle and Nelson Schick are among his supporters while a number of well known South Africans - including Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer and William Inglis and Son’s Wayne Aldridge - also feature among his owners.

  David, who retained a satellite stable in South Africa until July last year, now has 25 horses in training, a further 15 at Bob Lapointe’s Muskoka Farm and he is buying for Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans at this year’s round of yearling sales. In addition his reputation and standing in the racing community, combined with his pleasant personality, have helped him to become established.

  When David initially applied to train at Randwick, in December, 2001, Australian Jockey Club chief executive Tony King said he “rang a few mates of mine” in South Africa for a testimonial.

  “They could not recommend David highly enough,” Tony was quoted as saying.

  Those to have provided recommendations for David include Harold Taylor, who is chairman of the KN Stipendiary Board of South Africa.

  “In my capacity as Chairman of the Stipendiary Board with the Jockey Club of South Africa I have known David Payne for many years, initially as a jockey and then as a trainer,” wrote Harold.

  “Mr Payne is a thorough gentleman who is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s top equine conditioners. He is a consummate professional who, despite his success, remains modest and approachable.

  “His conduct and integrity as a trainer are exemplary, and his racing record with the Jockey Club of Southern Africa reflects that.

  “Mr Payne has trained and ridden winners of most of South Africa’s feature races and consistently, as a trainer, achieves a win percentage of 15.30% and place percentage of 25%.

  “To his credit he has been the National Champion Trainer Twice and Provincial Top Trainer on 20 occasions during his illustrious career.

  “Mr Payne is an asset and an ambassador to horse racing in Southern Africa and is in good standing with the Jockey Club of Southern Africa. I believe that he will be an asset to any racing jurisdiction that he decides to make his domicile.”

  David, who was involved in the official side of the business as an executive committee member of the Natal Owners and Trainers Association, also has other enthusiastic fans - among them is Kwa-Zulu Natal Trainers’ Association chairman A.J. Rivalland.

  In a written testimonial he said of David, “It is indeed a sad day for South African racing and particularly Kwa-Zulu Natal that he has decided to leave our shores in order to continue his life’s vocation in Australia.”

  “A person of his calibre is almost impossible to replace and he will be sorely missed in South African racing circles.

  I have no doubt that our loss will be Australia’s gain but it will be tremendous to have David flying the South African flag for us Down Under.”

  David also appreciates all the support he has received since settling in Australia and said, “Tony King, Bob Thomsen, Gai Waterhouse, Les Bridge and Ron Quinton have all been very good to me,”

  However, after having to wait several months to finally break through into the winner’s stall he is not about to rest on his laurels.

  “I would really like to win a Melbourne Cup,” he said. “I thought Carnegie Express might be the horse last year but that wasn’t to be.

  “Who knows what might happen this year?

  “Other than that I want to win as many races and as many Group races as I can.”