HORSE RACING
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Trainer Steve Englebrecht was confident Lie Direct would only improve from a second-up win at Kembla Grange on Saturday and earmarked a potential autumn campaign for the three-year-old.
The son of Zabeel rocketed down the centre of the track to win a 1400-metre maiden.
Apprentice Brodie Loy fanned out widest at the top of the straight and gunned down Yves Klein Blues and Rose Bay at the post.
"He is quite promising. He has always shown a bit of ability," Englebrecht said.
"He was a bit disappointing at Warwick Farm but I put that down to the heavy track. On top of the ground [on Saturday] he was really good."
Lie Direct finished at the rear of the field on debut at Warwick Farm over the same distance on a heavy track.
But Saturday's second attempt was an entirely different story.
It looked to be a race in two at the furlong pole between the placegetters, but Lie Direct got the better of the pair in the final strides.
"Brodie said he dropped the bit coming around the turn. He said he was a bit new and got lost. He gave him a bit of a slap up and a wake-up and he hit the line really strong," Englebrecht said.
"It was a good win."
Englebrecht said he thought the horse had the potential to contest an Australian Derby in the autumn but was uncertain if the gelding would run out 2400m.
"He is still very green. I think he has got a long way to go learning-wise. Just at the moment we will take him through the grades," Englebrecht said.
"I think he will make a nice autumn three-year-old. We will give him a couple more runs then put him away. He will come back a nice horse for us."