A compelling Randwick showdown is on the cards for the Flight Stakes, featuring Rosehill neighbours Chris Waller and David Payne with their promising fillies, Striking Alibi and Bangkok Hottie, set for a rematch.

Bangkok Hottie has claimed victory in their two previous encounters, the Furious and Tea Rose Stakes. However, Striking Alibi is currently installed as the early favourite to exact revenge in the Group 1 feature on Saturday.

Waller is hopeful that the betting public’s assessment is correct, but he also mentioned that he would be almost as thrilled for his fellow Rosehill trainer to win the major prize if his own horse is not victorious.

Payne, a decorated horseman from South Africa before establishing a successful career in Australia, is recognised as one of the sport’s gentlemen.

He has reduced his string in recent years to around 16 horses in work, but this has not hindered him from enjoying a fantastic start to the season with three stakes wins, two of which have come with Bangkok Hottie and the other with Persian Wonder.

While both trainers prepare their teams at Rosehill, Waller and Payne do not always cross paths at trackwork. Nonetheless, the former acknowledged keeping a close watch on his rival’s activities each morning.

“He stays down in the stewards’ tower, but I have a little look at him with the binoculars now and then, see what he’s up to, because his horses are going terrific,” Waller shared. “He’s an amazing horseman. He’s a hard worker. If we don’t win, I hope he does.”

Striking Alibi, originally from Perth, has delivered encouraging efforts in her only two Sydney starts, making ground from the second half of the field to place in the Furious Stakes (1200m) and the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).

Waller indicated that the filly has continued to improve and expressed no doubt that she will be in the finish if she can handle the additional 200 metres of the Flight Stakes (1600m).

“She was awesome the other day. She just stepped away a little bit slow and because she was second-up, we were a bit reluctant to give her a message to recover quickly. It just put us in an awkward position, but she was great,” Waller stated. “She has learned so much from each run.”

Waller will also saddle up De Armas, a Listed winner in New Zealand who made late headway to finish midfield in her sole Australian start over 1200m at Warwick Farm last month.

The Flight Stakes looms as an exciting race; consider checking out the latest racing odds at various sports betting platforms.