Caulfield: Damian Lane shows his class with treble

Gun jockey Damian Lane put on a masterclass at Caulfield with a treble that showed the full range of his riding skills.

Damian Lane pilots Absolute Flirt to victory, one of his three winners at Caulfield. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

The class of Damian Lane was on full display at Caulfield on Saturday, as the gun jockey picked apart the tricky conditions to bank a treble.

With the rail out 12m and racing on a genuinely soft ground, finding the right lanes in the run would ultimately decide the winners.

Lane struck early on Malkovich, a visiting Bjorn Baker-trained Sydney sprinter worth black booking for next time, with the easiest of steers for the soon-to-be Melbourne premiership runner-up.

Divine Diosa and Absolute Flirt required more effort with Lane pouncing at the opportune time.

Lane had a decision to make rounding the bend on Divine Diosa, go wide behind I‘m Thunderstruck, after the pair raced together at the tail of the field, or stay inside and ride for luck.

Mark Zahra went wide on the favourite, prompting Lane to save ground on the inside.

It ultimately decided the 1440m three-year-old handicap.

As the field straightened and gaps appeared Lane’s decision would be right, as Divine Diosa trucked up the middle of the track to bank a comprehensive and long-awaited second win.

Damian Lane returns to scale aboard Divine Diosa. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Leader Basarwa gripped on for second with I’m Thunderstruck a spent force in third.

“She’s been slightly difficult and probably underachieved so far,“ Lane said.

“She’s always shown good potential.

“During the spring we learnt we couldn’t ride her forward, she didn’t have that sort of stamina.

“We obviously lost a little bit of confidence knowing that we had to go back today, but everything fell into place for her.”

Lane completed a running double – and treble on the day – with another smart ride on Absolute Flirt.

The 27-year-old had the Danny O’Brien-trained filly midfield with cover, coiled up to make the most of her short sprint which he duly exposed striking the front about 200m from home.

Propelle kept finding to the line but Absolute Flirt had just enough of a head start to win.

“Although I had to be patient she could probably be ridden with a touch more patience again,” Lane said.

“She’s got a short sprint and when I saw the run I saw the winning post and her eyes lit up.

“Lovely horse going places.”

Alderson pieces together Jigsaw plan

Cindy Alderson has earmarked the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) on August 21 at The Valley as a potential target for smart Caulfield winner Jigsaw.

The $1.65 favourite made his 1100m race on Saturday look like a barrier trial, leading from start to finish under a loose rein from jockey Mark Zahra.

Alderson will consider a race at The Valley on July 31 as a stepping stone towards the McKenzie Stakes.

“He won’t have a run now for a while,” Alderson said.

“He might go to a race at Moonee Valley and then if he goes well there we’ll look at a stakes race there.”

Manhattan Rain colt Jigsaw, a Geelong maiden winner prior to the Caulfield romp, was first-up since running eighth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes in February.

“He’s still got a bit more to go (developing) … he’s a bit willowy at the moment for him,” Alderson said.

“He was a bit chunkier when he was in the Blue Diamond so he’s grown a bit.

“Whatever he does this preparation he should continue to improve.

“Hopefully there’s still something more left for him.”

Jigsaw returned a winner at Caulfield. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Sharp Response finished strongly to run into second while Darceandermill, who tracked the winner in transit, gripped on for third.

Winning jockey Mark Zahra praised Jigsaw‘s relaxed approach to racing.

“He’s a really professional racehorse,” Zahra said.

“He canters to the gates fine, stands there as quiet as a lamb and pings them.

“I was happy to take it (the lead) up … he was able to come back underneath me and when I asked him for an effort he put pay to them in the straight.”

Alderson was not as fortunate in Race 2 with $2.10 favourite Veranskova going back from a wide barrier and never coming into contention.

TURF TALK

LATE BLOOMER GIVES FREEDMAN A HAI

HAI SUN rewarded trainer Mitchell Freedman and her connections, pulling off a targeted Caulfield upset.

The Fighting Sun filly, passed in for $15,000 as a yearling, needed luck to gain a start, let alone complete the heist, but fortune favoured the brave.

With the Rivette Series Final next Saturday, Freedman pencilled in Caulfield as the “softer” option.

Capped fields — due to rail placement — meant Hai Sun required at least two scratchings on race day morning to make the cut.

“We had to stress and wait for the 7.30am scratchings and I’m glad we got in,“ Freedman said.

“The prizemoney was there and … with the final next week I thought this race might come up a bit softer.

“There’s been a bit of thought put into it.”

Hai Sun shot the front early in the straight — after tracking up behind the speed — and kept fighting to the line as favourite BUBBLY LASS came from the back.

Hai Sun was an upset winner of race two after sneaking into the field. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

WEIGHT EXPECTATIONS

MALKOVICH delivered on the confidence Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker had in him, lumping 61kg to victory.

Jockey Damian Lane rode the Choisir colt — with a brighter future than a winter three-year-old handicap — accordingly, tracking off the speed and sprinting clear at the finish.

“Bjorn rang my manager and said that, ‘Damian will want to ride this horse. It’ll have a big weight but I’m not going to claim because it’ll win anyway,’” Lane said.

“I was happy where I was. Bjorn was confident he would lead them up if they’d let him.

“They were going too quick (so) I got a nice sit in third.

“He just travelled lovely for me throughout.”

ESTA LA ROCA was game in defeat after leading well into the straight, while FOREVER FREE made ground late.

MASTERFUL PLACEMENT

Trainer Chris Hyland knows what he‘s got and where to run them. As a consequence the Cranbourne horseman has enjoyed a stellar June with four different winners and three runners-up from his past 10 starters.

BALLET MASTER kept the hot streak going with a strong win at Caulfield, reeling in runaway JITTERY JACK.

“We go missing in spring and autumn but we’re happy to get it (this time of year),” Hyland said.

“We wait for the wet weather.”

Favourite OVER THE SKY got going approaching the bend, trying to eat into the leaders‘ margin, but peaked on the run to finish third.

FOUR MORE …

Jamie Kah’s victory aboard PINTOFF saw Melbourne’s premier rider on Saturday edge closer to the Victorian record of 100 city winners. Kah went into Saturday on 95 winners but could only come away with the solitary victory in the last.

The 25-year-old’s next opportunity to add to her tally will be on Wednesday at Sandown.

Originally published as Caulfield: Damian Lane shows his class with treble