Damian Lane may have secured himself a future mount in the Caulfield Cup after steering Feiern Kranz to victory in Sunday’s Group 2 Meguro Kinen (2500m) at Tokyo Racecourse.
The Meguro Kinen carries a ballot exemption into October’s Caulfield Cup, meaning Feiern Kranz now has a guaranteed place in the prestigious 2400m handicap should connections elect to travel to Australia.
Lane enjoyed an economical run aboard the son of Duramente, settling within striking distance as the field travelled at a moderate tempo. Entering the home straight, Feiern Kranz appeared to have plenty left in reserve but required clear running.
The Australian rider remained patient before driving the colt through an opening three horses off the rail. Feiern Kranz quickly accelerated to the lead inside the final 200 metres and then fought off the fast-finishing favourite Victor Verus to score by a neck.
The victory continues a remarkable run for Lane in Japan, where he has established himself as one of the most successful international jockeys to compete in the country.
Earlier this month he captured the Group 1 NHK Mile Cup aboard Rodeo Drive for trainer Tetsuhide Tsuji.
Among his major Japanese successes are victories in the Group 1 Arima Kinen and Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen with Lys Gracieux, the Teio Sho aboard Omega Perfume and the Victoria Mile with Normcore.
Lane also boasts a strong record in Australia’s spring features with Japanese-trained runners. In 2019 he guided Mer De Glace to victory in the Caulfield Cup before partnering the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Lys Gracieux to a dominant win in the Cox Plate just weeks later.
The Meguro Kinen has a notable history of producing horses capable of competing on the international stage. Previous winners include Pop Rock, runner-up in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, and Fame Game, who contested both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup in 2017.
The win was Lane’s third success in the Meguro Kinen, having previously claimed the race aboard Look Twice in 2019 and Heat On Beat in 2023.
