Tentyris brilliant with devastating Lightning burst

Co-trainer Sam Freedman told jockey Damian Lane to just “trust the horse” before Godolphin colt Tentyris fulfilled his destiny in the G1 Lightning Stakes over 1,000m at Flemington on Saturday, 14 February.

Winner of the stallion-making G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes 1,200m against three-year-olds at the same track last November, Tentyris was scratched at the barriers before the G1 Champions Sprint over the same course and distance one week later.

Resuming from a spell and on his best behaviour, Tentyris made amends and confirmed he was the best three-year-old colt in the land when he beat older gallopers in the Lightning to set up a possible G1 Newmarket Handicap 1,200m assault at Flemington in three weeks.

Lane had played his part by allowing Tentyris to settle at the rear of the eight-horse Lightning field to give the striking chestnut a chance to unleash his big sprint.

Tentyris peeled out and finished fast on the outside to beat My Gladiola by three-quarters of a length, with Benedetta the same distance away in third place, recording 56.91 seconds for the straight-course dash.

Lane, who took the reins was in awe of Tentyris shortly after the race.
“He’s an incredible talent,” the jockey said.
“I really only had the one play (track gallop) with him.

“It was only going to be whether the 1,000m was too short, but it wasn’t.
“Mid-race I had to ask him to pick up the bridle, but when I did he joined in well.
“And as has become his trademark, that last bit of the race was outstanding.

“I think his development has been good, his attitude as an older horse, he’s really competitive.
“He’s shown he can go to the top level, so he’s going to be competitive and winning good races for a bit to come yet.” 

Freedman confirmed his final conversation with Lane and was relieved Tentyris had made amends for his late scratching in the Champions Sprint.

“Yes, that was the final instruction,” he said.
“Dad (Anthony Freedman) and I had spoken over the past couple of days.
“You can get sucked into riding a horse out of their comfort zone in small fields.

“Mark Zahra got to know the horse well last preparation.
“We rode him a little close in the Danehill (Stakes) first-up and he was just a little soft late.

“He balanced up in the Gothic (Stakes) and he worked hone, was electric in the Coolmore and he’s done the same today.
“His turn of foot is there when you ask him.”

With five Stakes-race wins, including two G1s, and prize-money earnings of nearly $2.6 million, Tentyris has earned a shot at the G1 Newmarket – if he isn’t penalised too heavily.

“If the handicapper is watching, he wasn’t that impressive, he only just won,” said Freedman, tongue firmly in cheek.
“The Newmarket, it’s hard for a three-year-old to carry a big weight in a race like that.

“We’ll have to have a chat about where he goes, but I can assure you it’s a very good problem to have.”

Freedman joked a horse like Tentyris made it easier get out of bed at 3am most mornings and the colt’s reputation was continuing to grow.

“These are the sort of horses that get us going,” he said.
“It exciting, these horses don’t come along very often.

“Anthony has been in the game a long time and he actually said to me after his spring campaign, ‘this might be the best horse you’ve ever trained’.
“Godolphin has been a huge supporter of ours for such a long time, and we’ve had some very horses for them over the years.
“He’s building his own record that hopefully could be right up there with some of the best.”