Anthony Freedman isn’t sold on the virtues of backing a horse up three weeks in a row but the likelihood of a wet track at Hawkesbury might be enough to tempt him to go that way with Punch Lane.
The five-year-old posted an emphatic win in Saturday’s Precise Air Handicap (1500m) at Randwick, working across from a wide draw early to take up the running and spearing further in front on straightening to score by 4-1/4 lengths.
Bold Mac ($31) did best of the chasers to grab second with former William Haggas gelding Al Mubhir ($41), now with the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald stable, an encouraging third, a further three-quarters of a length away.
It was another bold winning ride from jockey Nash Rawiller and Freedman said that was one of the reasons the top hoop was engaged.
“That’s why you use him. You get the unexpected,” Freedman said.
Punch Lane ($6) had been competitive in his opening campaign runs, including when fourth to Sandpaper over 1400m at Randwick last week.
But as a superior wet track performer, Freedman suspected he needed damper conditions than Saturday’s soft 6 rating.
“He has led before and won. I just thought he’d need it wetter,” Freedman said.
“We will see where we go. I might throw him in at Hawkesbury even because it will be wet, I think.
“Whether he can take three runs in a row, I don’t know, but I’ll probably nominate and see how we go.”
Rain is forecast for the Sydney region leading into next weekend’s stand-alone meeting where the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) would be Punch Lane’s target.
Rawiller admitted he hadn’t planned to lead on Punch Lane but the horse was keen early so he elected not to fight him.
“There was no stopping him. He was already full of running,” Rawiller said.
“It wasn’t really until we cleared Rachel (King on Queues Likely) and got two in front that he pricked his ears and gave himself a bit of a rest. From that point he was able to give a really good kick.”
Freedman, who trains in partnership with son Sam, also had the favourite for the opening race at Randwick in Beskar but the two-year-old was scratched on Saturday morning when he was found to have mucus in his throat.
The Group 3 placegetter will be monitored over the coming days before a decision is made on whether to continue his campaign but Freedman confirmed that if Beskar did press on it would be to Queensland.
