Horse Racing

Lucas Cranach is the German horse in the hands of one of Australia’s masterful racing families –The Freedmans.

Lee Freedman, winner of five Melbourne Cups, has made the son of Mamool his special project. He handed over his trainer’s license to his brother Anthony and traveled to the UK to supervise the five-year-old’s early preparation for the 2011 Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 1.

Many overseas raiders have failed to impress when pitted against Australia’s best stayers – one of them being Mamool who finished last in the 2003 Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), the first of three won by Makybe Diva of which the last two were trained by Freedman.

Lucas Cranach won from 2100m to 2500m prior to arriving in Australia for the 2011 Melbourne Spring Carnival. European horses that win over such trips are now considered the preferred types to take out Australia’s greatest race.

Lucas Cranach is in Australia after some good recent performances in Germany. That country’s racing exploits have not featured high on any platform in past years but 2011 is different with Danedream winning the 2011 Qatar Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe (2400m) in race record time in October. Lucas Cranach finished five lengths fifth to Danedream at the Hoppegarten in the Preis Von Berlin before the filly shocked the world. It should also be remembered that So You Think finished a similar distance away from Danedream in the Arc. It came after Lucas Cranach easily won the Hansa Preis in Hamburg coming from last.

The 2009 Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown believes Lucas Cranach measures up well against the 2008 Melbourne Cup runner–up Bauer when riding trackwork recently.

Not all horses acclimatise in Australia, particularly straight away. Lucas Cranach may still improve well after Cup day.