Happy Retirement Twilight Payment

Mark Smith - Wednesday November 3

The 2020 Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Payment has been retired and will live out his days at Living Legends.

Advertisement

The 9yo son of Teofilo (IRE) finished eleventh as the topweight in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained gelding had arrived in Australia in good form, having finished second in the Irish St Leger on September 12, after winning at the St Leger Trial at The Curragh four weeks earlier.

Twilight Payment and Jye McNeil capture the 2020 Melbourne Cup (image Racing Photos)

Like his sire Teofilo (IRE), Twilight Payment was bred by Jim Bolger and was trained by him when initially carrying the colours of Godolphin. He continued to race for Bolger after being sold for €200,000 at the 2018 Goffs Horses In Training sale.

After racing in the colours of the trainer's wife Jackie Bolger, Twilight Payment was acquired by Lloyd Williams and transferred to the stable of Joseph Patrick O'Brien.

O'Brien trained Rekindling (GB), another son of Teofilo (IRE) for Williams. Rekindling (GB) won the 2017 Melbourne Cup.

Twilight Payment retires with a record of nine wins, eleven seconds and nine thirds with earnings the equivalent of $5,842,805.

Nick Williams announced the retirement on Twitter.

"On behalf of the owners, I would like to thank Joseph O'Brien and all his team, particularly his handler Sean Corby and Mark Power.

"He has brought so much excitement to our ownership group, families and friends. Living Legends will be his new home."

Twilight Payment's dam Dream On Buddy (Oasis Dream) was passed in for 38,000 guineas at the 2010 Tattersalls December Mare Sale. She sold for 240,000 guineas to BBA Ireland in the same ring 12 months later after her half-sister Bamfire (Holy Roman Emperor) won the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot, the Group II Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh and the Group II Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Breeders Cup Winner for Almanzor
Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (FR) has been firing in the Northern Hemisphere this year and one of his star performers has been French Oaks winner Gezora, who raised the bar again at Del Mar on Sunday when taking out the Group I Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare (1m3f).
Sires With Winners - Monday November 3
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tara Talks Racing - Melbourne Cup Tips
If you are a racing tragic and horse lover like Clocker and I, Melbourne Cup Eve is as good as it gets, so have a listen to our thoughts and you can put the pen through our very dodgy tips or add them to your multiples!
White Robe Lodge to Cheer Smokin' Romans
Group One winner Smokin’ Romans will aim to extend his breeder Brian Anderton’s successful run in the Gr.1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he takes his place in the iconic Flemington feature on Tuesday afternoon.
A Wet Melbourne Cup Has a Certain Kind of Magic
Wet Melbourne Cups have a different character, and are often memorable... and we might just see one on Tuesday! 
DIY Pedigrees for Melbourne Cup – Take the Tip!
If you are having trouble settling on your Melbourne Cup horses a look at pedigree might be a help, so take a flick through our five generation pedigrees for all Cup runners and we’re giving you a clue as to what to look for!
Teofilo's Twilight Payment Takes No Prisoners Going Post to Post in Melbourne Cup
A seventh Lexus Melbourne Cup for Lloyd Williams, a second for Joseph O'Brien, a second for Teofilo (IRE) and a first for Jye McNeil as Twilight Payment (IRE) ran them into the ground in Tuesday's $8 million feature.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Melbourne Cup
The greatest day in Australian racing, nay in Australian sport is upon us - Cup Eve is better than Christmas Eve!
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Melbourne Cup
There are many great events and coveted prizes on the Australian racing calendar, but no others capture attention quite like the Melbourne Cup (3200m).
2YOs on Show - Flemington Sale Mail
Cup Day at Flemingto will kick off with the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) which has attracted a big field of juveniles including some unraced blueblood homebred babies for Godolphin and Yulong as well as the highest priced yearling by first crop sire Pinatubo (IRE).