Patrick and Michelle Payne have taken out this year’s Apsley Cup, with their veteran galloper Trosettee proving too good in last Sunday’s 2000-metre feature. 
Relishing the heavy conditions at Casterton, the eight-year-old gelding wore down a brave fight from runner-up and fellow $4.40 equal favourite Cleitus, who led into the home straight and was only claimed in the final bounds. 
Trosettee had finished third at Flemington the start prior behind Liberami, who was then beaten a nostril at headquarters last Saturday in considerably stronger grade. 
Sunday’s victory was Trosettee’s seventh — his sixth on heavy ground — and with his rating at 82, can prove very hard to beat in wet conditions next start in BM84 grade. Follow.
Deano delivers
Veteran Horsham jockey Dean Yendall last Saturday notched his ninth metropolitan winner since returning from injury late last year, piloting the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Flash Feeling ($19) to victory at Flemington. 
Yendall took a sit behind the leading pair in the 2025 Country Achiever Eric Musgrove (2000m), hooking out and taking over at the 300-metre mark. 
Race favourite Liberami ($2.90) loomed up to challenge soon after and the pair fought out a real ding-donger, the Horsham hoop throwing everything at his six-year-old to get the result by a narrow margin. 
Yendall returns to the big smoke this Saturday at Sandown with a sound book of rides, beginning the day with James Cummings’s debut winner Demarcate in the 1000-metre two-year-old handicap.