David Payne produced a training masterstroke to win the Light Fingers Stakes last year, but he's not as confident of a repeat performance on Saturday.Payne will start Prerequisite in the Light Fingers (1200m) at Randwick, a year after sending a race-fit Rock Me Baby around in the same Group Two event to defeat multiple Group One winner Samantha Miss.A first-up winner over 1100m at Canterbury on February 3, Prerequisite also takes a race fitness advantage into the Light Fingers.However, Payne sti

David Payne produced a training masterstroke to win the Light Fingers Stakes last year, but he's not as confident of a repeat performance on Saturday.

Payne will start Prerequisite in the Light Fingers (1200m) at Randwick, a year after sending a race-fit Rock Me Baby around in the same Group Two event to defeat multiple Group One winner Samantha Miss.

A first-up winner over 1100m at Canterbury on February 3, Prerequisite also takes a race fitness advantage into the Light Fingers.

However, Payne still doesn't think that will be enough to topple the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Joyous.

"I don't think we can beat More Joyous but if she can run second or third, that's black type," Payne said.

"Gai usually has her horses very fit and she's a very good filly. I think she'd probably have to be off her game for us to beat her. She (Prerequisite) is doing well though and I'd love to run a place for her owners."

Prerequisite has raced twice in stakes company in the past and was safely held on both occasions.

The filly finished sixth in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) last spring and last in the Furious Stakes (1400m) a start later.

More Joyous has won four of her seven starts.

She finished third first-up last preparation in the Sheraco Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill before winning the Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) and Group One Flight Stakes (1600m) at her next two starts before going for a spell.

Payne has a similarly daunting task awaiting in the day's other feature three-year-old race, the Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m).

His talented colt More Than Great resumes from a spell in the event as does Waterhouse's Group One winner and Cox Plate runner-up Manhattan Rain.

More Than Great is no stranger to facing the best of his age group as he twice ran into Denman in Sydney last preparation.

Denman had his measure on both occasions but the colt did manage a stakes win in the Listed Ming Dynasty Quality at Randwick, defeating subsequent Cox Plate winner So You Think.

"He's come back well and I think with the track being soft that should help him," Payne said.

"He hasn't grown much, that's my concern with him. The others have got a bit stronger so that's going to be the test."

More Than Great hasn't raced since the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 31 when he finished 11th, beaten 3-3/4 lengths by Headway.

Payne gave the colt a 1030m barrier trial at Rosehill on January 22.