| An inspired Damian Lane ride delivered a huge ownership group one of their biggest thrills in racing when Payline stormed to victory in Saturday night’s $1 million TAB Magic Millions The Syndicate (1100m) at the Sunshine Coast. |
| Lane was last at the 400m and looked set to bring the son of Shooting To Win to the middle of the track upon straightening but a last minute decision to revert to the fence paid dividends as he plotted a path to victory inside his rivals. Just as Golden Boom ($3.70 fav) looked destined for victory, Payline ($21) surged underneath him and was powering away at the post. Purchased by Munce Racing and Arthur Hoyeau for $120,000 out of the Torryburn Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Payline has now won five races and almost $800,000 in prizemoney for the stable and his many owners. Co-trainer Corey Munce said Payline boasts many similarities with another of the stable’s Magic Millions pin-up horses, Centrefire. The win kickstarted an exciting week for the stable, which will saddle up Vein Girl in Saturday’s $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) after her win in last month’s Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) at the Gold Coast. “That was unbelievable,” Munce said. “What a thrill, we won this race two years ago with a horse called Centrefire and it’s actually really unbelievable the similarities between the two horses. “They are both by Shotting To Win and they both have come good at this ripe age. “This is a great win for us, we only shared a little bit of success a couple of weeks ago with a horse called Vain Girl (in the Magic Millions Debut) and the next week is looking good.” Lane, who won the TAB Magic Millions Wave earlier in the night, said he was glad his split second decision to make an inside run paid dividends. “If it didn’t come off, it would’ve looked pretty silly,” Lane said. “It’s just been hard to peel wide and make ground today so I took the option to go in and it paid off. “We went a strong gallop and he maintained a really good gallop and ripped home over the top of them. “Watching some of his replays, he’s run some big races this horse and I knew if things went right for him, he could put in a big performance. “It’s nice to win for a lot of owners, as well as Corey and Chris.” A half-brother to Payline by Home Affairs was catalogued in the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale but has been withdrawn by vendor Torryburn Stud. |
