Trainer Anthony Freedman will head to The Everest with two great chances after stablemates Santa Ana Lane and Shoals ran the quinella in the Group 2 $500,000 Santos Coffee Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick today.
Santa Ana Lane, slips up along the inside fence in the yellow cap to win the Premiere Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au were forced to reshape the betting for the $13m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 13 after Santa Ana Lane ($10) slipped up along the rails to nose out Shoals ($8.50) with In Her Time ($5.50) in between the two stablemates in third spot a head away.
The Team Snowden trained Redzel was sent out as the $3.60 favourite and after setting a solid pace out in front was over hauled by the placegetters to finish fifth with the $3.90 second favourite Trapeze Artist winding up in fourth spot.
Winning jockey Ben Melham was happy to settle Santa Ana Lane near the tail of the field with the hot pace up front playing right into his hands.
Melham decided to stick to the fence and the runs came for him while Tim Clark was happy to skirt wide on Shoals who also found the line well.
The Kris Lees trained In Her Time lost no admirers and will most definitely benefit from the run as will Redzel who missed a run two weeks ago when he was suffering from muscle soreness.
“He [Santa Ana Lane] was fantastic, it was great ride by Benny [Melham], he knows the horse so well,” stable representative Sam Freedman said.
“Couldn’t have worked out any better really.”
“I thought he was going to run out of time, I thought they were going to get away from him, but fortunately he’s got her right on the line.”
“To be honest I thought she was the one at the furlong, but as always he [Santa Ana Lane] sneaks up on us and he’s got there again.”
“They are great travellers, they’ve won three Group 1s each, in three different states. It’s probably a blessing that The Everest is up here, because they come on a heap for the run, they’ll stay up here for the next two weeks.”
“You wish every horse travelled as well as these guys, they are just a pleasure to deal with.”
“Santa we’ll just keep him happy now, he’s probably right where we need him to be, Shoals probably had a little bit of improvement to come, she’ll come on for that and both will be right where we need them to be in two weeks time.”
“Dad has done a fantastic job and full credit to him and the staff at home, it’s a great effort to have two horses in the race.”
All first five placegetters will line up again against each other in The Everest in a fortnight.
Here is the revamped betting for The Everest at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 Santa Ana Lane, $7 In Her Time, Redzel, Shoals, Trapeze Artist, Vega Magic, $11 Brave Smash, $13 U S Navy Flag, $15 Graff, Viddora, Invincible Star, $21 English.
