The Anthony Freedman trained Santa Ana Lane scored back to back Group 1 wins with a stunning victory in the Group 1 $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben today.
Goodwood winner Santa Ana Lane, above, made it back to back Group 1 wins with a stunning victory in the 2018 Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Santa Ana Lane was coming off a last start win in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville three weeks ago and also gave winning jockey Ben Melham another Group 1 win.
Melham was able to give Santa Ana Lane a sweet run just off the pace from an inside barrier and settled the five year old on the heels of the favourite Champagne Cuddles ($5 favourite).
Melham elected to stay towards the inside on the rain affected track and Santa Ana Lane ($14) relished the soft going to scoot away to record a two lengths win over the unlucky Super Cash ($31) who was caught wide for the majority of the trip.
Bjorn Baker’s three year old filly Champagne Cuddles didn’t have to do any work from the inside gate but found the first two placegetter too good on the day and finished in third spot.
Stable representative Sam Freedman said it was always the plan to bring Santa Lane to Brisbane for the Stradbroke Handicap after winning The Goodwood and in the process became the first horse in history to win the Goodwood – Stradbroke Handicap double in the same year.
“He has always shown that sort of ability,” Sam Freedman said.
“He is showing consistent form which he never really had in the past.”
“We left a little bit in the tank after the Goodwood with the intentions to come up here.”
“He is a well-travelled horse and he settled in very quickly and had a couple of strong gallops and we couldn’t be happier.”
Freedman said he is now hoping that Santa Ana Lane will be selected to fill a slot in the 2018 $13m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick during the Sydney Spring Carnival.
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