Damian Lane steers Chris Waller colt Private Life to upset win in Group 1 Caulfield Guineas
Damian Lane seized the initiative to produce an upset result on the Chris Waller-trained Private Life in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
The ethos served the US Marines for decades and worked for jockey Damian Lane in the $3m Caulfield Guineas.
Lane’s self-belief and judgement brought the downfall of the $1.80 favourite Broadsiding who, like the previous odds-on favourite Mr Brightside, was unable to reel in a leader.
• What the jockeys said: 2024 Caulfield Guineas
Runners racing on the pace close to the inside had enjoyed an advantage in the earlier races of the day so Lane sent Private Life to the early lead.
Lane was able to control the race from the front to the home turn before Private Life ($13) grimly hung on to give the jockey his first Caulfield Guineas triumph.
The $51 chance Feroce charged at Private Life late but failed by a short head to give young trainer Dominic Sutton his first Group 1 win.
Evaporate, from the Ben, Will and JD Hayes camp, was third.
PRIVATE LIFE LEADS TO WIN THE 2024 CAULFIELD GUINEAS! 😮
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) October 12, 2024
BROADSIDING RUNS INTO 4TH...@cwallerracing@CoolmoreAus@LaneDamianpic.twitter.com/sfHmp0j1XO
Private Life provided champion trainer Chris Waller with his third Caulfield Guineas crown after claiming the race with favourites Press Statement (2015) and The Autumn Sun (2018).
Waller said the stable had no plans to lead the Caulfield Guineas but Lane’s ability to seize the early initiative was a hallmark of a top jockey.
“It wasn’t necessarily the plan to lead, we wanted to roll forward, but that is why you put the top jockeys on, they make the right decisions,” Waller said.
Lane said he simply wanted to give Private Life the best possible chance of winning the Caulfield Guineas rather than riding the Written Tycoon colt to beat Broadsiding.
“Every horse is beatable, so you just have to go out with a mindset of riding your horse the best you can, and that’s all you can do,” Lane said.
“You can only paddle your own canoe and let the rest look after themselves.”
Sutton said he had “mixed emotions” of pride in Feroce’s effort and disappointment in going down by such a narrow margin.
“I felt like he was there to win and, even watching him through the line, he (jockey Billy Egan) still had a handful of horse,” Sutton said.
“Frustrated but super proud of the team to get him here in such great order.”
Broadsiding finished 1¼ lengths from Private Life in fourth spot.
His jockey James McDonald was visibly annoyed after the Godolphin colt missed a place for the first time since his debut at Bendigo in February.
“He made good ground late,” McDonald said, before sarcastically adding, “the track’s really good,” referring to on-pace bias.
Ladbrokes eased Broadsiding from $5 to $8 in its Cox Plate market.
Waller ruled out paying a $100,000 late entry fee to run Private Life in the Cox Plate.
“This was his grand final,” Waller said.
“We did run Militarize in the Cox Plate last year but I don’t think we would do the same with Private Life.
“We will let the dust settle today and enjoy this win. He’s a very good colt.’’
Originally published as Damian Lane steers Chris Waller colt Private Life to upset win in Group 1 Caulfield Guineas
Gollan resists Cox Plate temptation after Toorak demolition
Tony Gollan has labelled Antino the best horse he has ever trained and admits he has never been more nervous on a racetrack than what he was on Saturday as his stable star broke his Group 1 drought in dramatic style.
Dare to dream: Bellatrix Star earns date against colts in Coolmore
Smart filly Bellatrix Star has a date against the colts in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes after her emphatic Group 2 success at Caulfield on Saturday.