Trainer Anthony Freedman is aiming to have two strong chances with Santa Ana Lane and Lyre in the 2020 Group 1 $400,000 The Furphy Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Santa Ana Lane, above, will be chasing a second win in The Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Steve Hart.
Multiple Group 1 winner Santa Ana Lane will be lining up for his third Goodwood start after running fifth in 2017 and winning in 2018 while 2019 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre is coming off a last start second in the Group 1 $400,000 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 2.
Pre-post betting for The Goodwood at Ladbrokes.com.au has Santa Ana Lane marked as the third pick at $6 while Lyre is listed as a $12 chance.
The in-form Adelaide sprinter Gytrash sits at the top of the market order at $3 following his dominant win in the Group 3 $120,000 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on April 18.
The Gordon Richards trained Gytrash also had outstanding Group 1 form during the 2020 Melbourne Autumn Carnival with a win in the $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) followed by a third in the $1.25m Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington and then was runner up in the $500,000 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.
Santa Ana Lane was unplaced at his most recent start when sixth in the Group 1 $480,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 18 but Freedman’s racing manager Brad Taylor said to forget that run and go on his previous second to Nature Strip in the Group 1 $1.25m T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Day One of The Championships on April 4.
“Everyone is saying he’s not going as well. Two starts ago he was running down Nature Strip who’s probably now the best sprinter in the world,” Taylor told AAP.
“Last start he probably didn’t get all the favours and he probably didn’t have his best day on the track either, but horses can do that.
“If people put a line through last start and go back to two starts ago when he was running second in the TJ Smith, that’s going to make him awfully hard to beat in a race like this.”
“Gytrash has got very good form and was very impressive the other day.”
“It’s set weights plus penalties and he’s got to carry a similar weight to Santa. We meet him in his backyard but Santa has been there and done that in the race and hopefully he can do that again.”
The stable is also expecting a strong performance from Lyre with the filly coming through her last start second in the Robert Sangster Stakes against the fillies and mares in great shape.
“She’s come through her second in really good order,” Taylor said.
“The blinkers had a positive effect on her.
“She will run well as well.”
The final field for The Goodwood will be released on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
Early betting for the 2020 The Goodwood at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3 Gytrash, $5.50 The Inevitable, $6 Santa Ana Lane, $8 Trekking, $12 Lyre, Sunlight, $13 Behemoth, $15 Jungle Edge, Order Of Command, $16 Xilong, Zoutori, $26 Achernar Star, All Too Royal, $31 Bold Star, Hard Empire, Home Of The Brave, $51 Madam Rouge, Street Icon.
