David Payne has snapped up Michael Rodd for the key ride on Praecido in the Spring Champion Stakes.Rodd became available for Saturday's Randwick feature meeting when the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington was transferred to Sunday to accommodate the replay of the drawn AFL grand final.Praecido is a $10 chance in the 2000-metre Group One behind the Peter Snowden-trained trio Retrieve ($2.90) Giresun ($7) and Erewhon ($8.50)."Michael Rodd will ride Praecido who has done well since the Gloaming Stakes,"

David Payne has snapped up Michael Rodd for the key ride on Praecido in the Spring Champion Stakes.

Rodd became available for Saturday's Randwick feature meeting when the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington was transferred to Sunday to accommodate the replay of the drawn AFL grand final.

Praecido is a $10 chance in the 2000-metre Group One behind the Peter Snowden-trained trio Retrieve ($2.90) Giresun ($7) and Erewhon ($8.50).

"Michael Rodd will ride Praecido who has done well since the Gloaming Stakes," Payne said.

"I'm sure he will be competitive and I'm looking forward to the race."

Praecido finished third in the Gloaming (1800m) won by Retrieve from Erewhon on September 18.

At his previous start on a heavy track, Praecido was second to New Zealander Lion Tamer who was disappointing when seventh, beaten more than 10 lengths, in the Gloaming.

Exhaustive veterinary tests failed to show anything amiss with Lion Tamer who will take his place in the Spring Champion with Glyn Schofield aboard.

He is at $13 with TAB Sportsbet.

Payne had to abandon Spring Champion plans for Reem who finished several lengths behind Lion Tamer in the Gloaming and was subsequently found to be suffering a virus.

Payne has a strong hand in the first juvenile races of the season with Snippets Of Glory and Trump to line up in the Breeders Plate for colts and geldings and Defiant Dame and Florentina in the fillies division, the Gimcrack Stakes.

Rodd will ride Florentina who was one of three winners for Payne at last Monday's official two-year-old barrier trials.

Defiant Dame won her trial to go with an earlier victory in a Rosehill trial.

Trump ran second to Snippets Of Glory in a Rosehill trial before winning his heat last week at Randwick.

Snippets Of Glory didn't compete at the official trials but has won twice at Rosehill.

"Michael Rodd is on Florentina, Corey Brown will ride Defiant Dame, Peter Robl sticks with Trump and Glyn Schofield rides Snippets Of Glory," Payne said.

"All the two-year-olds have done very well since their trials, they have come through with no problems and should all be competitive."

Despite criticisms of the Kensington track where the official trials were held and concerns some of the youngsters would be adversely affected, there were 17 entries for the Breeders Plate and 21 for the Gimcrack.