MASTER jumps trainer Patrick Payne lines up a strong two-pronged attack in a bid to win his fourth $350,000 Waterfront by Lyndoch Living Grand Annual Steeplechase in eight years on Thursday.
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A win by stablemates Zed Em or Slowpoke Rodriguez would see Payne join other trainers Bill Moran, Jim Houlahan and Ciaron Maher as four time winners of the Annual.
Top New Zealand trainer John Wheeler has trained five winners in Australia's most famous jumping race.
Zed Em and Slowpoke Rodriguez with two vastly different racing styles spent Tuesday relaxing at Payne's Rockbank property while last year's Grand Annual winner Gold Medals was an unlucky second in the Brierly Steeplechase.
Payne said he was looking forward to the feature race of the carnival with great anticipation.
"I'm very happy with both my horses," he said.
If any horse is to carry 70kg and win it could be Zed Em.
- Champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman
"They race differently. Zed Em will be up the front jumping carefully. He's a very professional jumper.
"Slowpoke Rodriguez will be out the back. He can be a bit risky at his jumps but I'm expecting him to chime in late.
"They have both schooled, trialled and raced around Warrnambool on numerous occasions so that holds no fears for us.
"I was very pleased with how Zed Em and Slowpoke Rodriguez schooled over 12 fences on Sunday. It's tough to split them because of their different styles of racing."
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Champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman, who rides Zed Em, said he was looking forward to the rematch with Gold Medals after finishing second to the Symon Wilde trained jumper last year.
"Gold Medals will be hard to beat," Pateman said. "I thought I was a shade unlucky last year not to win.
"History says Zed Em has a tough task carrying the 70kg but he's a top 'chaser, if any horse is to carry 70kg and win it could be Zed Em."
Gold Medals, trained by Symon Wilde is aiming to be the first horse since Al Garhood to have back-to-back success in the gruelling test for jumpers and jumps jockeys. Al Garhood won the Annual in 2010 and 2011.
Zed Em is quoted by the TAB as a $2.30 hope. His stablemate Slowpoke Rodriguez is rated a $3.60 chance while $6 is on offer for Gold Medals in early betting markets.
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