Lonhro's Lyre Storms Home in Blue Diamond

Mark Smith - Saturday February 23

Godolphin's wonderful season with their juveniles rolled on to Caulfield on Saturday where the Anthony Freedman-trained Lyre stormed home to win the $1,500,000 Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

The daughter of Lonhro had just one of the 14 runners behind her on the turn. Making her run down the centre of the track under Luke Currie, Lyre stormed home to defeat Lankan Star by half a length with the South Australian Free Of Debt (Unencumbered) giving her supporter a great sight, a further long-neck back in third. The heavily backed Athiri, another daughter of Lonhro, finished a troubled fourth. (images Grant Courtney)

Advertisement


"They spoke to me in the middle of last year and said we are going to send you some yearlings, which was a bit out of the blue. I was thrilled to get them because I did not have huge numbers," Freedman said.

They sent six, unfortunately, we lost one, so we've got the five and she is the only one to run so far.

"She's a homebred and they have a great system and she came to us, as they all did, in beautiful condition and beautifully educated and it was a case of developing her and getting her to keep improving in to the race.

"The relationship goes back 15 or 20 years. We had a great association with them before they went another way and we didn't have horses with them for seven or eight years. But we've remained very good friends, kept talking, and I think when Vin (Cox) came along he pushed for me to get some yearlings and it's worked out great.

"She was probably a bit further back than I wanted but as they say all's well that ends well."

Lyre advances her overall record to 3 wins from 4 starts with earnings of $1,081,400

From one of Darley Stud's most successful families, Lyre is a three-quarter sister to dual Group 1 winner Impending (Lonhro). She is the second foal and first winner out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Erato who was 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 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.

Due to begin his 15th season at stud in 2019, Lonhro took his Group 1 tally to 12.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
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.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Five heats for juveniles at the Rosehill trials on Monday included  some eye-catching winners including Godolphin’s Lonhro colt Beyliks, who was placed in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate.
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
Lonhro's Ranier in Heartstopping Festival Stakes Win
An inspired rail hugging ride by Brenton Avdulla had supporters of Live And Free counting their money in the closing stages of Saturday’s Group III Iron Jack Festival Stakes at Rosehill when down the outside came Kathy O’Hara on Godolphin’s honest Lonhro gelding Ranier to spoil the party.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Nicks That Click - Two Darley Champions Combine
A powerful nick between champion Darley sires Lonhro and Exceed and Excel produced it's tenth stakes-winner on Saturday.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.