Damien Oliver at best in Spear Chief win

Damien Oliver has had a last-to-first win aboard Payroll at Doomben on Saturday.

Damien Oliver showed why he is rated one of Australia’s best jockeys with a last-to-first win aboard Payroll at Doomben on Saturday.

Oliver drove Payroll ($5) through a gap near the fence to beat Maryore ($15) by a short neck in the Listed Spear Chef Stakes (1600m).

Trainer Richard Laming was quick to praise Oliver who is third on the all-time list of Group One winners in Australia.

“It is why you put the best jockeys on them. He knows what he is doing and I doubt if he could have won going around them,” Laming said.

Laming said Payroll had originally been aimed at the Group One Tatts Tiara on June 24 but he would now reconsider.

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“She is a mare in form so it is the obvious race for her. But we will have to see about bringing her back in distance now the race is at Doomben,” Laming said..

Oliver said he rated Payroll a more than handy horse.

“She sprinted really quickly. She relaxes so well she could probably get 2000 metres,” Oliver said.

The unlucky runner was Man Of His Word who finished fourth after being held up for a run in the straight

“He should have won for sure. He had no luck,” said jockey Jeff Lloyd.