Ballarat trainer Michelle Payne is thinking about aiming emerging staying mare Flag Edition at the Banjo Paterson Series.
Flag Edition ($2 favourite) underlined her promise with a narrow win in the Stamford Tyres Benchmark64 Handicap, 2000m, on the turf in Ballarat on Sunday.
Billy Egan produced a copybook ride - following Payne's instructions to the letter by cutting the corner on the home bend to find the middle of the straight.
It was enough to get the New Zealand-bred Flag Edition home by the closest of margins over Fiorente Lass ($7.50).
Payne said she had identified the centre of the track as the place to be and Egan had ridden the 5yo a "treat". "He absolutely nailed it."
Flag Edition is a half-sister to Who Shot Thebarman, which ran in five Melbourne Cups and won one of his six Sydney Cup starts.
Payne said the mare had put in a great effort - "she's so honest" - and might now head towards the Banjo Paterson Series Final, 2600m, at Flemington on July 4.
SYMON Wilde is another training look at a city assignment after Ammoudi Bay ($3.90 favourite) made it two wins in his latest three starts in the Porter Plant Benchmark70 Handicap, 1400m, earlier in the day.
He said he believed the 4yo would benefit from spacious city tracks such as Caulfield.
The Warrnambool trainer has a Ballarat satellite stable, where Ammoundi Bay has been based. Wilde said Ammoudi Bay was doing a good job after a long preparation.
