Lane booked for Sydney mare in Epsom

Brad Waters - Thursday September 21

A small weight rise will be enough for Melbourne-based jockey Damian Lane to ride a Sydney mare in Saturday week's Group I Epsom Handicap (1600m).

Advertisement
Damian Lane has a ride in Saturday week's Epsom Handicap at Randwick. Photo: Darryl Sherer

John Thompson has booked Lane, who won last Saturday's Group I Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on Humidor, to ride Zanbagh in the $1 million contest.

Lane will ride Zanbagh, who currently has 52kg, if the weights increase by half a kilogram, which looks likely in order for the Epsom Handicap to feature a mandatory 58kg topweight.

The Darren Weir-trained Humidor and Black Heart Bart have 58kg in the Epsom but will miss the race to tackle the Group I Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on the following day.

Le Romain also has 58kg but trainer Kris Lees told Racenet the 2017 Epsom Handicap was "highly unlikely" for last year's winner after a disappointing run in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

Thompson has also booked Lane to ride Smooth Landing in the Group I Flight Stakes and Nieta in the Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m).

Zanbagh is a $26 chance in Sportsbet latest Epsom Handicap market.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 15
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Riverbank Going to Extremes
There’s an old saying about keeping yourself in the best of company and Victoria’s Riverbank Farm adheres to it better than most.
G1 Tiara Next for Flying Zoustar Mare Floozie
Bred and raced initially by Dorrington Farm’s Robert Crabtree, Zoustar mare Floozie changed hands last year and runs now for Yarraman Park, who sent her to Queensland to be trained by Tony Gollan and that decision is reaping impressive rewards.
Hong Kong Double for Brutal
With Hong Kong races on Saturday this week and so much going on in Brisbane it was easy to miss the action at Sha Tin with a winning double for young sire Brutal worth noting as it featured a two year-old that has now had two starts for two wins and broke 56 seconds for 1000m!
Sunshine Coast Success For Sister to Group 1 Winner
Racing at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday saw the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained For Better (Better Than Ready), a full sister to the stable’s Group 1 winner Port Lockroy break her maiden at just her third start for the stable.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO Wins Raconteur Stakes
The So You Think's are absolutely flying with no less than 33 winners in the past 30 days highlighted by his daughter You Wahng’s emphatic victory in the G1 Queensland Oaks and now another exciting three year old has appeared!
2023 Queensland Derby Hero Kovalica Triumphs in Q22 Thriller
Kovalica made a welcome return to winning form when he prevailed in a pulsating three-horse finish to the A$1.2 million Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 14
Here is the full list of 104 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Consecutive Winter Cup Wins For Sir Lucan (IRE)
Although it’s been a while between wins for Camelot stayer Sir Lucan (IRE), the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained 7yo returned to the scene of his most recent success some 12 months prior to the day, recording consecutive victories in the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill.
War Machine Wins $3million G1 Stradbroke for Lindsay Park
With Lindsay Park's much loved stable star Mr Brightside set to turn eight this year, the time is ripe for a new star to emerge for the stable and it looks like being another Kiwi bred in the shape of Harry Angel (IRE) gelding War Machine.