DAMIAN Lane has posted career win No 500 in the week he celebrates his 21st birthday. The former West Australian achieved the milestone thanks to a typically heady ride on the Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Whistle Baby on Wednesday.
It’s an outstanding achievement for Lane who is on track to post career numbers as he heads towards a third successive century of winners.
Whistle Baby was Lane’s 69th win in Victoria this season and puts him just two behind Dean Yendall and one behind Michael Walker.
Lane was to have partnered Burnstone in the Blue Diamond, but finished trackwork today to discover the devastating news that the colt suffered a fatal heart attack at the Cranbourne training centre.
“It is a tragedy, he is an untapped horse,” Lane said.
“One moment the owners are on a high heading towards a Blue Diamond and then the next we hear what happened this morning.
“I send my condolences to everyone who was associated with his career.”
Lane said Whistle Baby rallied resolutely when it appeared she may have been vunerable over the concluding stages.
“She is pretty tough. She only has a short sprint, but with 58 kilos she was probably out on her feet,” Lane said.
“With no speed on paper I used her a little bit to be a bit closer.”
Sentfromthestars made it a double for Ellerton and Zahra as well as owner Ben Cooper
"We brought them both back in grade and stepped them up a little in distance and it has been the answer for both of them," Zahra said.
"With the turn of foot she's got if she can get the right run, her sectionals are always outstanding." (Racing Network)