Champions Series dark horses: Twilight Payment

Twilight Payment and Kevin Manning (left) beat Forgotten Rules for trainer Jim Bolger. Picture:Racingfotos.com

TWILIGHT PAYMENT

Trainer: Jim Bolger
Form: 423121

So far in this series, we have concentrated purely on three-year-olds who might emerge on the QIPCO British Champions Series scene but there is also scope for an older horse or two to be included – in particular Twilight Payment.

The four-year-old was not sighted in any Champions Series races last year but it will be a big surprise if he does not run – and make an impact – is some of this summer’s top staying events because he looks all stamina.

Unraced as a juvenile, Twilight Payment made his debut in a 1m5f maiden at Navan – an indication he was either very slow or that Bolger had wasted no time recognising that the Teofilo colt was always going to need a trip.

He got beat that day and next time, too, dropped to 1m2f, but on his third start indicated what he was all about – staying on strongly to finish third in the 2m Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. He finished three quarters of a length behind Harbour Law, the subsequent St Leger winner, on that occasion.

Twilight Payment lost his maiden tag on his fourth start and signed off the season with two cracking efforts – bustling up Order Of St George, the Gold Cup winner, over 1m6f at the Curragh before keeping on dourly to beat Forgotten Rules over 2m in the mud at the same track.

Likely to have strengthened up further over the winter, Twilight Payment promises to be ideally served by extreme tests and the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June seems certain to be high on his agenda. Most firms make him 20-1 for the 2m4f showpiece, won last year by Order Of St George.

Twilight Payment clearly copes well with testing ground but it is unclear whether it is essential for him to show his best. He made his debut on good to firm, and is not inconvenienced by good going.

PREVIOUS HORSES IN THE SERIES
Sir Dancealot
Mori
Crimson Rock
Cashla Bay
Frontispiece
Poet’s Vanity
Boynton
Shutter Speed
Cape Byron
Cliffs Of Moher