Following his record breaking run at Randwick last outing, the writing is on the wall for the Freedman-trained Santa Ana Lane to be crowned the 2018 Everest Champion. Though stranger things have happened in the great game, you’ll go a long way to find a track record breaker that hasn’t performed in their very next start.
While lucky enough to witness a number of track records be obliterated last year, a further look will tell you that Santa Ana Lane is all but home, before the race has even been run. In fact, just 12 months ago it was Redzel who smashed the Randwick track record in the shorts over 1100m, ironically going on to win the $13M race next start.
Far from a coincidence however, a number of big names have recently bolted in following a record-breaking display, including Super Too, Deploy and the obvious champion, the mighty mare Winx.
With Redzel doing the damage in the Everest, Super Too was again too sharp when going on to win by 2 lengths at the Valley after shattering the previous benchmark over 1000 at Randwick, likewise Deploy, who not only beat Egg Tart by 4 lengths in his next start after breaking the 1200m record, but remarkably broke the 1300m record at Rosehill Gardens in that very run.
Santa Ana Lane showed an electric burst of speed in the closing stages to become the fastest horse ever over the 1200m at Randwick, bettering Deploys 1:08.06 in a new best time of 1:07.45. This year’s Stradbroke winner was an $8.00 shot with Sportsbet.com.au before betting was suspended.
