The Everest 2019: Santa Ana Lane comes up short after record run
Trainer Anthony Freedman was left contemplating what might have been after Santa Ana Lane flew home to break his own track record, but still got beaten in The Everest.
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Santa Ana Lane broke his own track record — and still got beaten in The Everest at Royal Randwick.
Trainer Anthony Freedman was left contemplating what might have been after Santa Ana Lane flew home to run second. The losing margin of a half-length cost Santa Ana Lane’s connections nearly $4 million in prizemoney.
Their consolation was a cheque for a cool $2,140,000.
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Santa Ana Lane had come from near last and flashed over the line in 1m 7.40s, breaking his own course record by 0.05s. However, it wasn’t fast enough to run down Yes Yes Yes.
“Santa Ana Lane’s run was great, it was just the three-year-old with no weight that beat him,’’ Freedman said. “It just wasn’t his today but we will live to fight another day. Hopefully we will be back next year.’’
Freedman said Santa Ana Lane is likely to run in the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington in two weeks.
Mark Zahra, rider of Santa Ana Lane, admitted he was surprised how quickly Yes Yes Yes sprinted in the straight.
“With the weight, the colt put a little break on me,’’ Zahra said. “But Santa was really gallant, he went super, but just couldn’t reel in the winner.’’
Josh Parr felt like a winner after bringing Godolphin sprinter Trekking from last to run third.
“He ran really well, well done to the team, they prepared him in fantastic order,” Parr said.
Nature Strip led The Everest field for a long way to run fourth.
“I just had to do a little bit of extra work early to clear them but he ran very well,’’ jockey Tim Clark said. “Obviously he ran them along and did a good job to still be kicking hard late.’’
Tommy Berry, rider of Pierata, said they were held up until inside the final 200m and should have finished closer than fifth. “Once he got out he was doing his best work late,” Berry said.
Cummings chuffed with brave Trekking
Godolphin matched their Everest result of 2018 but it was not with the horse most expected as Trekking ($31) upstaged his more favoured stablemate Alizee ($9) to run third.
It came 12 months after Osborne Bulls ran third in the richest race in the country when coming from near last down the outside rail.
Trekking’s jockey Josh Parr went and had a quick look at the film in the stewards room but quickly decided not to protest against second-placed Santa Ana Lane.
Trainer James Cummings was proud of his Street Cry five-year-old who sprinted past a whole stack of world-class sprinters to now fully announce himself as a genuine Group 1 contender.
He had to carry 5.5kg more than an winner Yes Yes Yes.
“He needed to be an Osborne Bulls for us this year and that’s what he did,” Cummings said.
“He’s won a Schillaci and a Stradbroke and is a third placegetter in The Everest, so what more has he got to do.
“He’s been beaten a long neck by the highest rated sprinter in the country (Santa Ana Lane) and a three-year-old (Yes Yes Yes) from an outstanding three-year-old crop with the form out of the Golden Rose and Bivouac.”
.@Haynsie75 spoke to the beaten jockeys after #TheTABEverest 👇 pic.twitter.com/FuqnAo2gNc
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 19, 2019
Cummings also praised his slot holder for taking a chance on Sydney’s biggest race.
“He went terrific and it was fantastic for the MRC (Melbourne Racing Club) to have backed themselves and got involved,” he said.
Cummings was still looking to speak to Hugh Bowman regarding Alizee but the top jockey simply said the winner was too good.
Bowman said during the week that the horse he’d like to follow in the run was Yes Yes Yes.
“She was a bit free in the early stages. I was hoping to follow Yes Yes Yes but I was going to have to wrestle to follow him. All credit to the winner, but she ran a race,” Bowman said.