TRAINER Mark Newnham has studied recent renewals of the Epsom Handicap and doesn’t believe Lanciato’s get-back racing pattern will negate his winning chances at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
“We know we have to ride Lanciato a certain way, save him for the last crack at them,’’ Newnham said.
“But I’ve watched replays of recent Epsoms and Hauraki (2016) did something similar. He was last and widest on the turn but got them on the line, so it can be done.’’
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Lanciato, winner of the Newcastle Newmarket before a good seventh in Happy Clapper’s Doncaster Mile in April, has been unplaced in two runs since resuming but Newnham maintained the gelding was right on target for the $ 1 million TAB Epsom Handicap (1600m).
“He has taken a little while to come right in the coat but he is there now, he worked great this morning and it is all systems go,’’ Newnham said.
“His first-up run in the Missile Stakes (fourth to Pierata) was very good, then he couldn’t win the Tramway Stakes (seventh to Comin’ Through) last start the way the track was playing.
“Because he gets back and has to come wide from the turn, it left him with no chance.
“It would be nice to draw a bit better in the Epsom because every time Lanciato has drawn deep in these big races we have had to go right back. If he draws inside he should be able to settle in front of five or six rather than be back last.’’
Newnham is preparing for his most significant day as a trainer on Saturday.
He has three Group 1 runners and an entry in the Breeders Plate at Royal Randwick.
Lanciato leads the stable charge in the Epsom Handicap (1600m), promising three-year-old fillies Maid Of Heaven and Nakeeta Jane are lining up in the Group 1 $ 500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m), and juvenile Exceed The Stars is in the Group 3 $ 160,000 Breeders Plate (1000m).
The Newnham quartet are prominent in early betting.
Lanciato is at $ 11 for the Epsom, Maid Of Heaven is $ 11 and Nakeeta Jane $ 15 for the Flight Stakes, and Exceed The Stars is the $ 4 favourite for the Breeders Plate.
“This is only my second full season as a trainer,’’ he said.
“The numbers we have in work are increasing and its satisfying for everyone at our stable to have such a good representation at a feature meeting like Epsom day.
Nakeeta Jane, a daughter of former champion So You Think, has only had two starts, scoring her maiden win on the Kensington track earlier this month.
Nakeeta Jane worked strongly at Randwick on Monday morning and Newnham has been so impressed with the filly’s continued improvement that he recommended her owners pay a $ 25,000 late entry fee into the Flight Stakes.
“Nakeeta Jane is coming out of a midweek win at Warwick Farm into the Flight Stakes but Maid Of Heaven proved to me they can do it and run a competitive race,’’ Newnham said.
