Santa Ana Lane shows his quality in coming off strong pace to win Stradbroke Handicap
Racing midfield on the rails, Santa Ana Lane tracked a quick tempo on the heavy 8 track set by the free-running leader Perast (Snitzel) which resulted in fast mid-race 600 metre sectional (from the 1000m) of 34.74.
Ben Melham skilfully steered Santa Ana Lane along the inner rounding the home turn, before drawing away over the closing stages to score comfortably by almost two lengths.
Time for the 1350 metre journey was 1:19.95 (11.84 200m) rate, equivalent to 1400 metres in 1:22.91 – impressive time in the affected conditions.
The win was Santa Ana Lane’s third at Group One, having firstly taken out the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield in October last year prior to winning The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville on 19 May.
Santa Ana Lane was clocked to run some brilliant closing sectionals in The Goodwood where he came from the tail of the 20-horse field to win – his last 1000 metres in 55.87, last 800 metres in 45.20, last 600 metres in 34.24 with his final 400 metres in 22.99.
Saturday was his first start since that victory and it resulted in Santa Ana Lane taking his prize money earnings to $2,228,711, achieved in a 27 start career.
It is an impressive record for a relatively lightly raced five-year-old gelding and is testament to the patient and astute handling by his trainer Anthony Freedman.
An unplaced runner to take the eye in the Stradbroke was the Chris Waller-trained mare Shillelagh (Savabeel) who came from midfield at the home turn and battled on well along the rails for sixth, beaten just over three lengths.
Shillelagh was one of the few runners in the race to break 47.00 seconds for her final 800 metres, clocking 46.94 – her other sections also being good with her last 600 metres in 35.38 and last 400 metres in 23.82.
Already a Group One winning mare, Shillelagh looks primed for Saturday week’s Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1350m) for fillies and mares at Doomben.
While her Chris Waller-trained stablemate Invincibella (I Am Invincible) is likely to add to the leading stables’ representation in the same race judging by her performance in winning Saturday’s Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1350m).
After being ridden quietly by James McDonald from her wide barrier (14), Invincibella went widest of all on straightening before coming with a strong late bid to score by a long neck, going away.
Invincibella clocked the fastest closing times of any of the winners on the eight-race Doomben card for the last 800 metres (46.28), last 600 metres (34.48), last 400 metres (22.68) and last 200 metres (11.26).
The Jason Coyle-trained mare Siren’s Fury (Myboycharlie) also ran on strongly in the Dane Ripper Stakes returning fast sectionals in coming from 14th at the home turn for fourth, beaten a length.
Recent winner of the Dark Jewel Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) at Scone, Siren’s Fury was timed to run her last 1000 metres in 57.58, last 800 metres in 45.94, last 600 metres in 34.34, last 400 metres in 22.58 with her last 200 metres in 11.26.
She is another mare with sound claims in the upcoming Tattersall’s Tiara.
One of the highlights on the feature day of racing at Doomben was the victory of the Chris Waller-trained colt The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) who remains unbeaten after three starts in winning the J J Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
The Autumn Sun settled back in the field and was still conceding the leaders about six lengths as he fanned deep at the home turn.
The talented two-year old colt then put in strong run in the centre of the track and finished far too well to score by a neck, in a manner to suggest that The Autumn Sun is set for even better things in the spring.
The Autumn Sun was timed, on the heavy 8 track, to run his last 1000 metres in 59.96, last 800 metres in 47.46, last 600 metres in 35.36, last 400 metres in 23.68 with his final 200 metres in 11.68.
Other two-year-olds to stage noteworthy performances on the watch last weekend included the colts that fought out the finish of the Eugene Gorman 2YO Handicap (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The winner was the Brent Stanley-trained colt The August (I Am Invincible) who came from fifth at the 600 metres before fighting back to score by a short half head from the Lindsay Park-trained colt Good ‘N’ Fast (Sebring) who was a late-closing second.
Now unbeaten in two starts, The August was clocked to run his final 1000 metres in 54.73, last 800 metres n 43.73, last 600 metres in 32.70, last 400 metres in 22.06 with his final 200 metres in 11.25.
Racing on debut, Good ‘N’ Fast returned similarly fast closing times with his final 1000 metres in 54.76, last 800 metres in 43.64, last 600 metres in 32.52, last 400 metres in 21.88 with his final 200 metres in 11.06.
Both colts look set for bright futures after producing fast closing times of that standard so early in their careers.
Doomben sectional times provided by www.dailysectionals.com.au