David’s the starting point for Farm race

ONLY two horses in today’s opening event at Warwick Farm have had more than two starts and trainer David Payne has both of them.

Momentum Factor and Reagan line up in the Vancouver@Coolmore Australia Plate (1100m) in what will be their fourth starts while, apart from Affogato, their rivals are either on debut or have only had one run.

Payne’s hoping they are now ready to win.

“They’ve got the experience now and hopefully they’ll put it all together. I wouldn’t mind running one-two,” he said.

Payne’s leading charge Momentum Factor has surprised him since his debut fifth placing in the $250,000 Inglis Classic (1200m) at Warwick Farm. He was sent out a $101 chance that day.

“He’s definitely done better than I thought he would,” Payne said. “Before his first run I didn’t fancy him at all and he ran fifth in the Inglis race. At his next two starts he got too far back so we’ve put a set of earmuffs on him to help him concentrate a bit better.”

Momentum Factor finished less than two lengths behind Golden Slipper contender and eventual Todman Stakes winner Aylmerton at start two and flashed home from the back of the field to nearly run down Roosevelt last start.

“He was a little bit unlucky the other day when he was slow out and had to make up quite a lot of ground,” Payne said. “I was very pleased with that run.”

Payne said he had just had too much to do over the final 400m of his races and if he could be a bit closer to the leaders during the race today he could break through for a win.

“I’d like him to be a couple of lengths handier because he’s just getting lost in the early part of his races,” he said.