Why Twilight Payment is a good option for a repeat Melbourne Cup Triumph

From George Slater: November 2020

Twilight Payment became the second winner for Joseph O'Brien in the Melbourne Cup with a fine performance to take the crown at Flemington Racecourse. The Irish thoroughbred was an outsider for the event amid a talented field that included the race favourite Surprise Baby. However, the seven-year-old was able to rise to the occasion to beat out his nearest rival Tiger Moth by half-a-length.

Owner Lloyd Williams extended his record for wins in the Melbourne Cup, recording his seventh triumph and third in the last five years. It was his second with O'Brien, who got one over on his father Aiden in the event. Aiden O'Brien's charge Tiger Moth was a strong contender, but Twilight Payment was potent enough down the stretch when it mattered the most to close out the victory.

The challenge now for the Irish thoroughbred and O'Brien will be backing up their success. No horse has won back-to-back Melbourne Cups since Makybe Diva in 2005, which was his third on the bounce. It takes a special competitor to remain at the peak of their powers in consecutive years, but O'Brien seems to have the measure of the race. His father, Aiden, will return with a slew of talented charges, including Tiger Moth, who could be inclined for a second attempt at the crown.

Twilight Payment is backed in the horse racing betting odds at 25/1 to claim the title in 2021, and although the odds are against him, the nature of his performance in his victory suggests that the seven-year-old is more than capable of pulling off the win. The Irish thoroughbred was already a quality performer before he transferred into O'Brien's yard in 2019. He had a victory in the Saval Beg Stakes and Curragh Cup under his belt with two outstanding outings to defeat quality competitors, including Latrobe in Curragh.

His first taste of the Melbourne Cup did not go to plan, finishing well off the pace in 11th as Vow and Declare took the title. Despite the setback, O'Brien got his charge firing once again in Curragh in the summer of 2020, winning the Curragh Cup for the second year in a row and the Vintage Crop Stakes for the first time. He was fractionally off the pace in the Irish St. Leger in September, placing in third behind his compatriots Search For A Song and Fujaira Prince, narrowly losing out in a battle for second with the latter by a neck.

Twilight Payment was allowed to race a stone lighter for the Melbourne Cup due to the terms of the handicap. However, at 25/1 there was not a great deal of expectation for the horse to light up the event. Jye McNeil in the saddle ensured that the seven-year-old defied the bookies, guiding the horse to a flawless performance. Twilight Payment displayed a consistent pace before making his move into the lead with a strong surge. He fended off the late attempts of Tiger Moth to reel him in to hold out for the victory to etch his place in history, earning a first triumph for McNeil in the event in the process.

The Irish thoroughbred has a good history of winning back-to-back events - notably in the Curragh Cup. O'Brien has strong form in the Melbourne Cup having trained Rekindling to success in 2017. Williams' history is well noted with his seven triumphs to date. The ingredients are there for Twilight Payment to return to Flemington in 2021 to triumph once again.

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