Damian Lane brought up a race-to-race double in the first two features at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday evening, with a rails-hugging ride on the Chris & Corey Munce-trained Payline to take out the Magic Millions Syndicate.
After claiming victory with a much different ride on Miss Joelene in the previous race, Lane was made to change tracks multiple times in the final 500m before switching back to the inside to flash home up the rail and claim a breathtaking victory.
The 1100m contest was run at a solid tempo as Golden Boom, who jumped as the favourite with horse racing bookmakers, led the field, ahead of The Novelist and Price Of Boom.
Turning for home, the leader kicked away from the rest of the field; however, he started to take smaller steps in the final 150m, as Payline and Prince Of Boom started to take ground off him.
Lane didn’t have to go around another horse on the winner, and he pushed through along the inside fence to nab Golden Boom in the final strides, claiming victory by half a length.
2025 Magic Millions The Syndicate replay – Payline
Corey Munce represented the winning stable in the post-race interview.
“Unbelievable. What a thrill,” Munce said.
“We won this race two years ago with a horse named Centrefire, and it is unbelievable the similarities these two horses possess.
“They are both by Shooting To Win and both came good at this ripe age.
“Dad loves Damian (Lane) and it was great to have him on today.
“I didn’t know where he was going to get to from the draw and the sticky start. I just said that this horse has a wicked turn-of-foot and he showed that today.
“I was speechless until they crossed the winning post.
“I haven’t been around that long and I haven’t seen on win like that and they haven’t been winning like that today.
“It doesn’t matter what company we put him in; he always races well. He doesn’t go a yard on a heavy track, but today he won his maiden here on this surface and presented so beautifully. That was some ride.”
Damian Lane admitted that his decision to go to the rail could have made him look silly, but he was happy that it paid off.
“If it didn’t come off I’d have looked a bit silly,” Lane said.
“It has been hard to be wide and go around and win so I chose the other option and it paid off.
“He maintained a strong gallop and ripped home over the top of them.
“Watching some of his replays, he’s run big races, and I knew that if things went right for him, he’d put in a big performance.
“Corey and Chris were very bullish today.
“They were very confident he could run well. The gate was sticky, and we just needed a bit of luck from the turn.”
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