A striking colt by Satono Aladdin lured respected trainer David Payne back to Karaka on Sunday after more than a decade-long absence.

The last time the South African-born Payne bought a horse at Karaka was in 2013, when he paid $150,000 for a High Chaparral colt – the latest in a long line of purchases dating back to the 1980s.

“I haven’t been here for at least 10 years,” the now Sydney-based horseman said. “I used to come in the 1980s, including the old days when it was at Trentham. I’ve bought a lot of good horses from here over the years, like Petrava, Take A Walk, Hoeberg – they all won Group One races.”

The Fairdale Stud-bred Petrava, by Imposing out of Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m) winner Silver Liner, was purchased in 1983. She was raced by Laurie and Jean Jaffee and won 10 of her 15 starts in South Africa including five Group Ones.

Petrava’s daughter by Maroof, Hoeberg, was bred by Sir Peter and Philip Vela and was bought for $350,000 at Karaka in 1999. She followed in her mother’s footsteps and became another elite performer in South Africa for the Jaffees, winning four Group One races and also venturing to Dubai for a placing in the Gr.1 Dubai Duty Free (1777m).

Bakharoff colt Take A Walk was bred by Jim Campin, was purchased from Karaka in 1991 and won the Gr.1 Queen’s Plate (1600m) at Kenilworth in 1994.

All these years later, Payne announced his return early on the opening day of Sunday’s Book 1 session of Karaka 2026 when he went to $450,000 to secure Lot 24.

Offered by Little Avondale Stud, the Satono Aladdin colt is out of the twice-winning Snitzel mare On Yer Feet, the dam of four winners from four foals to race including Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) winner Faithful Feat. The colt is also closely related to the dual Group Three winner and Group One-placed Hiflyer.

“I’m 78 years old, so I thought I might slow down, but it looks like I’m back in business,” Payne quipped. “My owner wanted me to come. This owner, Wayne Shelton, is keeping me in racing. I’d have 20 horses in training and he must have a share in about 15 of them.

“He’s also got a 20 percent share in Ceolwulf, so maybe he’s spending some of the winnings from that horse. He’s raced quite a few horses with me and we’ve been successful with a lot of cheap horses, but now he’s stepping up after Ceolwulf. Before I go out, he wants to give me a Group One winner for him.”

The Satono Aladdin colt made an immediate and indelible impression on Payne.

“I wanted a Satono Aladdin, because I think he can give you a classic horse,” he said. “I looked at them all, and I saw this one and I said, ‘Jeez, he’s just an athlete.’ He’s a lovely horse and has a lovely, fluent action. Satono Aladdin is doing well and he’s out of a Snitzel mare, so it’s all there. I just thought, ‘This is the one I’d love, if I can get him.’

“He should be a 1600m horse, which is what you’re looking for. I’m hoping we can try to win a Guineas or something like that.”

Despite training relatively small numbers at his Rosehill base, Payne has put together an outstanding record of big-race success since moving to Australia in 2002.

“You can still compete,” he said. “I’ve had Ace High, Montefilia, Criterion, all those top horses. So you just need one. I’ve always been lucky and found one, and I hope this is the next one.”