Centennial Park may have shaded star sprinter Hay List in an exhibition gallop recently but trainer David Payne is realistic about the honest campaigner's first-up chances.Centennial Park faces Sydney's favourite mare Hot Danish in Saturday's Group Two Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill as Payne kicks off his push for autumn carnival success with stakes runners in two states.Payne has Winter King in the Listed WJ Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield, and the following Saturday the Rosehill train

Centennial Park may have shaded star sprinter Hay List in an exhibition gallop recently but trainer David Payne is realistic about the honest campaigner's first-up chances.

Centennial Park faces Sydney's favourite mare Hot Danish in Saturday's Group Two Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill as Payne kicks off his push for autumn carnival success with stakes runners in two states.

Payne has Winter King in the Listed WJ Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield, and the following Saturday the Rosehill trainer will roll out his leading three-year-olds when Masquerader and Praecido resume in the Royal Sovereign Stakes.

Also preparing for the carnival is two-year-old Defiant Dame, the filly who was posted on the third line of Golden Slipper betting when TAB Sportsbet released its first market on Friday.

Centennial Park has twice won when resuming from a spell but Payne admits the gelding has the job ahead of him against a classy Expressway field.

"He's going well but it's a tough race," Payne said.

"It's not his ideal distance but he's fresh and he should run well.

"He loves Rosehill and there should be some speed so he'll be running on."

Centennial Park made an appearance at Rosehill two weeks ago between races when he partnered, and narrowly shaded, powerhouse sprinter Hay List in an exhibition gallop.

"You can't tell much from that, he was carrying about 20 kilograms less than Hay List," Payne said, as lightweight apprentice Chad Schofield was on board.

With seven wins and a second from eight attempts first-up, Payne acknowledged the Les Bridge-trained Hot Danish was the horse they all had to beat on Saturday.

Hot Danish is the $1.95 favourite ahead of Love Conquers All at $3.80 with Centennial Park a $9 chance in the eight-horse weight-for-age field.

"Hot Danish is a very good mare, she's got a good fresh record and is definitely the one to beat," Payne said.

"You can't knock her."

When Payne decided on running Winter King in the Adams Stakes he didn't expect to be running into the likes of Reward For Effort, Solar Charged and Crystal Lily.

"I thought it would be an easier race than that," he said.

"It's a very tough field."

Winter King finished third in the Listed Canterbury Classic (1100m) last month with runner-up Whitefriars since venturing to Melbourne to win the Group Two Australia Stakes.