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Royal Ascot option for Santa Ana Lane after storming success in TJ Smith Stakes

Royal Ascot: possible long-term option for Santa Ana Lane
Royal Ascot: possible long-term option for Santa Ana LaneCredit: Edward Whitaker

Anthony Freedman has indicated a trip to Europe could be on the cards with Santa Ana Lane after his emphatic success in the Group 1 Aquis TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Ridden patiently by Mark Zahra, the six-year-old swept around the outside of his rivals in the straight to win going away by three and a half lengths, and secure his fifth Group 1 win.

"I knew he was really good," Freedman said. "I was worried about the track, but I knew that the horse was as good as I have had him and when he is like that he can do that, so it's exciting going forward."

The Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on April 28 could be next, with Royal Ascot in June a longer-term option.

Mark Zahra: guided Santa Ana Lane to success in the Group 1 Aquis TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick
Mark Zahra: guided Santa Ana Lane to success in the Group 1 Aquis TJ Smith Stakes at RandwickCredit: Vince Caligiuri (Getty Images)

Freedman added: "We will obviously give Hong Kong serious thought and if things are still good we will head on to Europe.

"He's clearly gone to a huge level now. I've sort of worked him out. I know how to train him and that is the key with horses, the trainer works out how to train them and you get the best out of them."

Favourite Osborne Bulls was second, with Sunlight finishing a nose behind in third.

Super seven Doncaster Miles for Boss

Hall of Fame jockey Glen Boss won the A$3 million Doncaster Mile for a record seventh time on Brutal, who picked up the biggest win of his career two weeks after a brave second to Winx.

Carrying a featherweight of 49kg, Brutal tracked leader Dreamforce before he quickened clear in the final furlong to win by a length, with that rival sticking on gamely to finish in second in front of topweight Hartnell.

Randwick racecourse
Randwick: Brutal won the feature Doncaster MileCredit: Jason McCawley (Getty Images)

Boss said: "The race was controlled from the front, I just let him do what he wanted.

"When you sit outside the leader you control the speed. We never gave those behind a chance. There was never a point in the race when I thought I was going to lose."

Truth continues Tulloch Derby run

Angel Of Truth became the third-consecutive Tulloch Stakes winner to win the A$2 million Australian Derby, leading throughout to defeat Madison County.

Trained by Gwenda Markwell and ridden by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown, Angel Of Truth settled well in front and kicked on in the closing stages of the Group 1 to win by three and a quarter lengths.

Brown said: "Once he got to the front, he did what he liked. Six hundred metres from home he was travelling and once he gets to his top gear he sustains it."

Corey Brown: won the Australian Derby with Angel Of Truth
Corey Brown: won the Australian Derby with Angel Of TruthCredit: Alan Crowhurst (racingpost.com/photos)

Markwell thought his runner had it won at an even earlier point. He said: "When I saw him leading with his ears pricked around the 1,000m mark I thought, 'He is going to take a lot of running down here'."

Microphone continues Godolphin's two-year-old domination

Golden Slipper runner-up Microphone won the Inglis Sires' to keep Godolphin on track for a clean sweep of the five Australia two-year-old Group 1s.

Trained by James Cummings and ridden by Hugh Bowman, Microphone sat behind stablemate and Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi before he was driven clear in the closing stages, with favourite Loving Gaby sticking on for second.

Cummings said: "He's a star colt. We barely had to breathe on him for this race today, just be confident in the horse. We didn't do too much with him, and his class shined through."


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Deputy news editor

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