Lonhro's Lyre in Prelude Upset

Mark Smith - Saturday February 9

The two-year-old Lonhro filly Lyre came off a maiden win at Sale to give trainer Anthony Freedman both divisions of Blue Diamond Preludes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Following I Am Immortal's win in the colts and gelding division, the Godolphin-owned Lyre came from midfield to defeat the gallant pacesetter Vinicunca who came within a long-neck of giving I Am Invincible both divisions.

Advertisement

Godolphin's better fancied Athiri, also a daughter of Lonhro, was a neck back in third. (image Grant Courtney)


"This filly worked huge on Tuesday and she's improved out of sight since her win at Sale," Freedman's son and assistant trainer, Sam Freedman, told AAP.

"We were expecting her to run really well. She was well over the odds.

"She's hopefully going to line up in the Blue Diamond now and if they think the fillies are better (than the colts), she should be right there.

"Lyre has got great scope and once she gets to three she will be a nicer filly.

"She is still a bit green and learning about it all."

From one of Darley Stud's most successful families, Lyre is the second foal and first winner out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Erato who was somewhat surprisingly culled by Godolphin at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Carry a colt by Helmet, Erato was knocked down to Australian Bloodstock for $120,000.

A sister to the multiple stakes-placed Memorial, Erato is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Impending (Lonhro) and the Group III winner Forget (Exceed And Excel) out of the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas and Group 1 STC Queen of the Turf Stakes winner Mnemosyne (Encosta de Lago).

Erato was covered by I Am Invincible in 2017 and last year visited Russian Revolution.

Lyre becomes the 81st stakes-winner for Darley Stud's champion Lonhro.


Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Potential for $3million Sunlight Winner Grafterburners
Group 1 targets await emerging sprinter Grafterburners after a brilliant win in Saturday night’s $3 million TAB Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m) at the Gold Coast.
$20,000 Yearling Yellow Brick Becomes $3.5million Earner!
A new chapter in the Yellow Brick fairytale was written at the Gold Coast on Saturday night when Tony and Maddy Sears’ pin-up galloper showed his trademark heart to win the $1.5 million Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Open (1300m).
Sires With Winners - Sunday January 11
Here is the full list of 56 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
85th Stakes Winner for Lonhro
A bit of shrewd placing by the Godolphin team resulted in the 5-year-old Lonhro mare Soothing earning a valuable black-type win in Saturday’s Listed W H Wylie Hcp (1100m) at Morphettville.
Blue Flame Lights Up Magic Millions Off the Track Cup
With $100,000 in prizemoney on the line, the Queensland Off-The-Track Cup Final at the Magic Millions Showjumping and Polo Spectacular on Sunday delivered a brilliant display of retrained Thoroughbreds stepping into exciting second careers beyond racing.
Veteran Speedster Acromantula Back to Best - Half-Brother Perth MM
Veteran sprinter Acromantula turned back the clock with a display of low level flying to record an unexpected victory in the Listed Miss Andretti Stakes at Ascot.
Ammirati Wins Listed Gingernuts - Full Brother in K1
An unusual plan paid big dividends for the connections of Ammirati when the big gelding confirmed New Zealand Derby plans with a dominant victory in the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday.
Darley Blueblood Salutes
When Darley sent Group I winning Redoute’s Choice mare Anamato to the Northern Hemisphere to start her stud career, they probably had high hopes of success, but after producing one stakes-winner from four foals, she is now back in Australia and had a winner on Tuesday.
Winning Debut for Expensive Almanzor - Karaka Million Next
The highest priced yearling by Cambridge Stud's in form sire Almanzor (Fr) sold in 2025, Stromlinien made a winning debut on Sunday and has a half-brother to be offered at Karaka Book 1.
Vinery Magic Draft a One Stop Shop
A proven nursery of G1 winning juveniles and also home to one of the hottest young sires in the country in Ole Kirk, Vinery Stud will present a draft at Magic Millions that is a one stop shop for stallion syndicates, racehorse syndicators and everyone in between.