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Zanardee’s Lane is out to put a promising campaign back on track, and at the same time deflate an emerging Gold Coast visitor when they clash in the final race at Tuesday’s feature Grafton meeting.
On a wide-open card with many chances in most races, the five-year-old based at Coffs Harbour looms as one of the better bets, despite being drawn wide in a competitive Class 1 Hcp over 1181m.
Racing returns to Grafton on Tuesday with a seven-race card.Credit: Phil Carrick
The Coffs-based gelding had signalled a big prep was on the radar when he toyed with maiden opposition first-up here five weeks back.
But the campaign copped a reality check on August 1 in a deeper Class 2 when as a heavily backed favourite he lost his way at a crucial stage yet still finished less than a length from the winner.
Fast forward three weeks and Zanardee’s Lane is ready to reignite in just his seventh start, and put those bigger carnival targets back on the map.
A big-striding son of Raphael’s Cat, Zanardee’s Lane will need to enhance an ability to peel off a dominant final 400m surge from back in the field, having drawn the second-widest barrier in a full field of 16.
The immediate threat is likely to come from promising Nicconi four-year-old Bassac Lane who defied a betting drift to win easily on debut leading all the way on the Gold Coast Polytrack.
Based in the Edmonds family stable at Bundall, Bassac Lane had been steadily trialling for six months before racing, and now has his first start on turf a month between runs, and coming back a fraction in distance.
The pair were in an early battle for favouritism with home track mare Huss On Fire who is also a month between runs third-up and drawn off the track, but crucially drops back from much tougher metro opposition over the border.
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
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