SANTA ANA LANE DRAWS WIDEST BARRIER IN CHAIRMAN'S SPRINT. VIDDORA FITNESS UNDER SCRUTINY

By Darren Winngham | Friday, April 26, 2019

THE CHAIRMAN'S SPRINT - SHA TIN - SUNDAY 28 APRIL 2019

Five-time Group I winner Santa Ana Lane will begin from the outside barrier in Sunday's $HK16 million Group I Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.

The Anthony Freedman-trained gelding drew barrier 10 in the field of 10 at the glamorous barrier draw held at Sha Tin Racecourse on Thursday.

At the barrier draw William Street Syndicate representative Michael Ramsden responded to the draw by saying, "I am sure we are happier outside than inside. We have a big team coming up from Australia - you will certainly hear us at some stage".

Ramsden went to praise how the horse has settled in since arriving in Hong Kong saying.

"We are very happy with the horse - fingers crossed he will be putting his best foot forward on Sunday,” said Ramsden.

Santa Ana Lane will be partnered on Sunday by Hugh Bowman after his successful TJ Smith Stakes jockey Mark Zahra was suspended for careless riding at Randwick on April 6.

Santa Ana Lane is rated a world-high 124 after his emphatic three-and-a-half-length win in the T.J. Smith on April 6. The strength of that form was confirmed last Saturday when Pierata and Osborne Bulls, soundly beaten behind Santa Ana Lane, ran one-two in the G1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick.

The Lope de Vega gelding follows the same path into his Hong Kong run as 2016 Chairman's Sprint Prize winner Chautauqua, who contested the Newmarket Handicap and won the T.J. Smith immediately before heading to Hong Kong as the world's top-rated sprinter at 121.

Santa Ana Lane will come off a well-planned 21-day break into his Hong Kong assignment. Interestingly he had precisely the same break before winning the G1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Queensland last June.

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Meanwhile, Australia's other representative Viddora remains under an injury cloud but if cleared by vets will jump from barrier 7.

Viddora was showing signs of lameness after a track gallop on Wednesday at Sha Tin.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club issued a statement noting the mare was found to be lame in the off-side hind leg.

"Dr Peter Curl, Executive Manager, Veterinary Regulation and Welfare, has advised the stewards that Viddora, trained by Lloyd Kennewell and which is entered for the stated race (Chairman's Sprint Prize), was noted to be lame in its right hind leg following trackwork this morning," it read.

"Viddora will continue to be closely monitored and a further release issued at the appropriate time."

On Thursday regular jockey Joe Bowditch just virtually walked Viddora around on the all-weather course not really doing much work other than give the horse a look at the track.

The work was overseen by trainer Lloyd Kennewell who said, "we just have to see how she pulls up in the next few days". When asked about plans for her trip to Ascot in England he said, "Regardless of what happens here we will still be taking her to Ascot".

The Chairman's Sprint Prize will be Race 6 on Sunday and will be run at 5.20pm (AEST).

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