Rather than being an inconvenience, the postponement of the Sunshine Coast’s feature races following relentless rain last weekend to a Sunday card a week later, co-trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman grabbed the opportunity for a second crack at a race they would have initially missed out on anyway.
Punch Lane did not make the original field for the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) last Saturday but when fresh nominations were taken, the four-year-old made the second cut and a successful one at that.
The son of So You Think relished the heavy conditions when winning one of the races run at Sunshine Coast on July 6, and he did so again with an all-the-way victory in this $300,000 event.
“He pulled up well from last week,” Anthony said.
“They generally do after wet tracks but we did nothing with him and I was happy with him by Tuesday so he was always going to work out coming to this race.
“As it turned out it really played out well for us. We actually wanted to run him in this race but he wouldn’t have got a run last week so we went the low road and obviously he won and then it got postponed.”
The jump from winning a benchmark 78 event to black-type company was of little concern though jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor had other thoughts before the start.
“I was worried (today) because he was in a stinking mood,” Wilson-Taylor said.
“He dropped me behind the gates, he dragged me for about ten metres along the ground and I wasn’t letting him go. It was a good effort.”
Well supported in betting through Saturday and Sunday, Punch Lane started at $2.50 and beat home At Witz End ($13) by three-lengths with the Bjorn Baker-trained Wategos ($8.50) in third.
For Punch Lane, spring carnival action awaits.
“We’ll probably stop with him now and we’ll find something for him in the spring,” Freedman added.
It’s an easy watch for Punch Lane punters! 🤩
The @FreedmanRacing
trained gelding leads the entire journey and wins the TAB Glasshouse. pic.twitter.com/ydUjCNVTbC— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 14, 2024
