Shamedy schools rivals during 12-length Bundarra Cup win
2026 Bundarra Cup winner Shamedy. Image: Bradley Photos.
If the Todd Payne-trained Shamedy were a schoolteacher, the Inverell galloper would have taught his rivals a lesson in how to win a country cup on Saturday.
Taking on the Bundarra Cup, the six-year-old Better Than Ready gelding, who won the same race by two lengths in 2025, defended his title by putting an almost unbelievable 12 lengths on the field in the 2026 edtion.
Ridden by three-kilogram claiming apprentice Paige Fergusson-Smith, Shamedy ($1.50) carried 61kg and finished well clear of runner-up Mystery Lad (Jordie Thompson, $3.20) and Ringside (Daniel Smith, $13) in third.
“He toweled them up,” Payne said.
"I had taken him to Newcastle the start before, and he raced a bit flat. I think the thing with him is that he doesn’t travel well and handle those five and six-hour trips.
“A couple of hours is alright with him, and he was able to go back there and win it again.”
Payne believes a change-up in his routine proved all the difference in the lead-up to Saturday’s win.
“He is going fantastic. I brought him home after Newcastle and the girls have been hacking him around at home; it’s freshened him right up. We’ll do the same before we go to the Guyra Cup.”
Now an 11-time winner, Shamedy has earned connections more than $365,000 during his 43-start career.
While the upcoming Guyra Cup at Armidale on November 8 is the immediate focus, Payne is hoping the gelding can go on with the job this season.
The Inverell Cup on January 1 is another major target, ahead of the Glen Innes and Deepwater Cups later that month.
“I’d love to win an Inverell Cup with him,” Payne said.
“He’s had two goes in the race and no luck, so we’ll set him for that race and those other cups. A lot of his owners are from Moree, Deepwater, and Glen Innes, so we go there for the owners and have a great time.”
The Payne stable is enjoying a blessed run, with connections also eyeing next week’s $2 million The Kosciuszko with stable star Lisztomania.
Run at Royal Randwick on Saturday, October 17, Lisztomania will represent Payne and slot holder Brendan Allen from Glenmore Park in the rich 1200m sprint for country-trained horses.
Lisztomania is on the sixth line of betting at $11, and Payne will give the eight-year-old Dream Ahead gelding every chance possible, heading to Sydney a few days early.
“He did a bit of fast work this morning and Scott (Sweedman) rode him and said he couldn’t be happier,” Payne said.
“Everything is going smoothly at the moment. We’ll head there on Wednesday morning and stay at Les Bridge’s place for four days; the boys there are helping us out immensely.”
The Inverell galloper is a last-start winner, prevailing for Kerrin McEvoy in a 1200m Benchmark 94 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on August 29.
Payne said he wasn’t feeling the pressure of the race but was enjoying the opportunity to be involved.
“There’s no pressure, and as I’ve said to everyone, I want it to get here but I don’t want it to get here too quickly so we can enjoy it and take it all in,” Payne said.
“How often does this happen to a small stable? It doesn’t come around every year for stables like ours, so we have to enjoy it.”
Despite the Guyra Cup and Kosciuszko fast approaching, Payne’s immediate focus will be at Port Macquarie on Friday, where he has Mister Bianco, Soobooco, and Commedia entered to race.