Lane, Humidor Rally to Win Makybe Diva Stakes

When jockey Damien Lane hit the deck in the closing stages of the Danehill Stakes at Flemington Sept. 16, his day could have been over, but it was only just beginning.

Within 90 minutes of picking himself up off the turf after the fall, Lane won the Let's Elope Stakes (G2) on Sword Of Light (AUS), then came from last on Humidor to storm away with the group 1 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes.

"For a few moments there I thought I'd definitely at least be missing the rest of the day," Lane said. "But I gave it five or 10 minutes and I felt good to go. I'm lucky to have escaped with no injury."

There was good reason to get straight back in the saddle with Humidor, who at best could be called enigmatic, or at worst erratic. However, the project horse for trainer Darren Weir is producing his best.

The TAB Australian Cup (G1) winner in autumn has often been the late charger for no result, but when the group 1 field flew through the first half of the 1,600 meters, Lane was growing in confidence.

He pulled the former New Zealander galloper to the outside and flowed through the gears to win by 3 1/4 lengths from odds-on favorite Hartnell, a two-time group 1 winner, with Black Heart Bart, a five-time group 1 winner, another half-length back.

"He just smashed them," Lane said. "He's a great talent, and he's really starting to put it together now. He just lobbed along at the back there, and even though I had them all in front of me, I thought I was the winner a long way from home.

"Credit to Darren and all the team. They've got a great knack of getting horses to relax, and this horse has come such a long way since joining the stable. It's great to add another group 1 to my record and after hitting the deck earlier. I'm just glad to be able to get back out there."

The win saw puts Humidor in the position of favorite for next month's Caulfield Cup, his spring target, but he remains a work in progress for the powerful Weir stable, which also finished third and fourth in the group 1.

"He's always promised to do that, but it's been a matter of getting him right and the team (has) worked hard trying to get his manners better," Weir said. "It's clear at his last two starts that it's working.

"He's paraded a lot better and Damian's done a lot of the hard yards, going to Casterton and Coleraine—doing all his trackwork."

Hartnell found the front at the 300-meter mark, after he traveled strongly outside the leader, but was no match for the winner.

"He travelled nicely throughout and I was expecting a better finish," said jockey Kerrin McEvoy. "He finished off OK, but the winner showed more dash than me today."

Chris Roots in the chief racing writer for the Sydney Morning Herald