World Racing Weekly: Damian Lane, Espionage & Big Sky

Espionage Takes Damian Lane To Ellerslie; Melbourne, Sydney And Japan Lie Ahead

Damian Lane is looking forward to an Australian autumn partnering the crack mare Treasurethe Moment and the likelihood of a Japanese spring riding in JRA Group 1 features, but before all that he’s heading to New Zealand this weekend to try and bag a big prize or two.

The Melbourne-based jockey has six rides on the Karaka Millions card at Ellerslie racecourse in Auckland, including the Australian import Espionage in the G1 Railway Stakes, a race that also features further Australian raiders Arkansaw Kid and Jigsaw, as well as last year’s first and second Crocetti and Alabama Lass.

Lane has earned international respect for his successes in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Dubai, but he told Idol Horse he was keen to ride at Ellerslie.

“I’ve ridden at Ellerslie before, it’s a nice track, spacious and fair, but I was interested because I’ve only ridden at this meeting once and it was at Pukekohe that time, so I was keen to ride at the meeting when it was at Ellerslie,” he said. “I put the feelers out to some local trainers, just seeing if there were any handy rides that were going. 

“I was fortunate enough to pick up Espionage. He looked really good early in his career and probably promised more than what he’s delivered so far, but his last run was really good and hopefully he’s ready to show his full potential.”

Espionage was a two-time Group 3 winner with Group 1 form for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott before moving to the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson stable. The four-year-old “looked like he’s on the right track” for his new connections when third at the course and distance on January 1.

Lane will also ride the Sword Of State juvenile Torture for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes in the Listed Karaka Millions 2YO over six furlongs. The filly won on debut in October and was a running on-fourth earlier this month at Geelong.

“She’s been really good,” Lane said. “She won really well her first start and then her run first-up at Geelong was good: she just got out the back into a non-threatening position, but hit the line well, so I think a high pressure 1200 metres will really suit her.”

The jockey will not be flying to Riyadh next month for the Saudi Cup meeting, though. He will be at Flemington instead after picking up the ride on the ante-post favourite Tentyris for the G1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes on the same day.

“I picked him up from Mark Zahra who got injured last week. And then I’ve no rides for Dubai at the moment, so I’m just looking forward to sort of knuckling down in Melbourne and hopefully Sydney if some opportunities come up,” he said. 

That means he’s looking to team up again with the four-time Group 1 winner Treasurethe Moment in a couple of majors.

“She’s back in work and she’ll be trialling in the next couple of weeks,” Lane said. “She’s probably my number one seed for horses going forward. She’s going to run the Futurity then the All-Star Mile.”

After that, a reconnection with his fans in Japan is likely. Lane first went to Japan in 2019 and has 186 wins there at a 23.4 percent strike rate. He enjoyed another profitable short licence there in November, nailing nine wins, and that followed a short stint last May and June when he had 29 wins including a five-timer and victory in the G1 Tenno Sho Spring.  

“Things were good in November,” he said. “It feels familiar for me now, I feel comfortable riding there. I know a lot of the jockeys and a lot of the trainers now; I’m getting to know more of the owners. I feel like each time I go there, it’s an easier and quicker transition to get back into the groove of riding there and getting into my work.

“And the fans there in particular are like nowhere else, they’re very passionate and they’re very supportive of their favourite jockeys and the jockeys they like to follow. Much more than anywhere else, jockeys are real stars there and it’s a privilege most of the time to be riding on the JRA.

“To have that sort of fan base is a rewarding feeling for jockeys,” he added. “I think anyone, any jockey that’s ridden in Japan would say the same thing: it’s very unique.”

This Week In Horse Racing History

The great Secretariat made the journey from Virginia to Florida to enter training for the first time with Lucien Laurin on January 20, 1972.

The English champion Gainsborough was born on January 24, 1915, bred by Lady Douglas. He became the first English Classic winner to be bred by a woman when winning the 2,000 Guineas in 1918 and went on to become the 13th Triple Crown winner in England with wins in the Derby and St Leger. At stud he sired the Derby winner and influential sire Hyperion.  

It was on January 24, 1974 at Bowie Racecourse that Hall Of Fame jockey Chris McCarron had his first race ride and finished in last place aboard Most Active. By the year’s end he was champion apprentice, having accrued 547 wins in North America and established a new record for the most wins in a season. He would retire in June 2002 with 7,141 wins including a host of Grade 1 triumphs that featured two wins apiece in each of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

Idol Horse Reads Of The Week

In his excellent weekly column, former elite jockey and Hong Kong racing expert Shane Dye talks pro punters, computer teams, and what those late price moves in Hong Kong racing really mean.

Shane Dye

Pro Punters, 'Computer Teams', And What Those Late Price Moves Really Mean

David Morgan speaks to trainer Jamie Osborne and his jockey daughter Saffie Osborne about their Maktoum Challenge contender Heart Of Honor, the tough but “laidback” dirt track runner whose deep-closing style they hope will carry him to the Saudi Cup.

David Morgan

Heart Of Honor, The “Lazy” Horse With A Fighter’s Courage

The Ricky Yiu-trained Voyage Bubble, last year’s Hong Kong Triple Crown winner, will on Sunday race his old rival Romantic Warrior in the first leg of this year’s series, the G1 Stewards’ Cup. Back in June 2024 Idol Horse reflected on Yiu’s record of sourcing untapped talent – the ones that got away and the ones that didn’t.

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Triple-Blow Couldn't Stop Yiu's World Racing Voyage

Racing Photo Of The Week

Date
3 January, 2026

Photographer
X user @abacus_pangya

Location
Sonoda Racecourse

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Global Blackbook

Big Sky took a step towards Group 1 company with an impressive debut win over 1000m at Flemington last Saturday. The Bivouac colt raced with a touch of greenness, just outside the leader, but was always travelling strongly. When Jordan Childs shook the reins approaching the final 200m, the youngster accelerated sharply.

Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr., Big Sky could be bound for the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude next at 1100m, with another option being the G3 Chairman’s Stakes over 1000m, both at Caulfield. 

And if Big Sky comes through that test, he would be bang on track for the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 21.

Flemington Race 1 I Big Sky

That was impressive! The @MickPriceRacing debutant produces a sizzling turn of foot to strike in the 2YO handicap 🚀 @JChilds47

📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/Hy5Qz4P81S

— Racing.com (@Racing) January 17, 2026

World Horse Racing Calendar: What’s Coming Up

Al Maktoum Challenge Day
Meydan, Dubai, January 23

There’ll be no Laurel River at Meydan this Friday: the 2024 Dubai World Cup winner was left out of the Firebreak Stakes entries after trainer Bhupat Seemar wasn’t entirely happy with his work and opted to wait for Super Saturday. But the stable’s Walk Of Stars will attempt to go back-to-back in the day’s feature, the G1 Maktoum Challenge. He will face the Jamie Osborne-trained Heart Of Honor and his own stablemate Artorius in that dirt track contest. Meanwhile, Godolphin’s Opera Ballo and Nation’s Pride head a six-horse field for the G1 Jebel Hatta on turf.

Railway Stakes Day
Ellerslie, New Zealand, January 24

Alabama Lass was second to Crocetti in the G1 Railway Stakes last year but is the antepost favourite to reverse that form this time around. The 1200m contest has also attracted Espionage, the former Australian galloper, and the Australian-trained raiders Arkansaw Kid, and Jigsaw. The Ellerslie card also features the Karaka Millions 2YO, for which the two-time winner Kinnaird is the likely favourite, and the Karaka Millions 3YO which features the unbeaten four-time winner Well Written, the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas heroine.

Stewards’ Cup and Centenary Sprint Cup Day
Sha Tin, Hong Kong, January 25

If you want to see some real superstars in action, Sha Tin is the place to be this Sunday when Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble will all be in action. Ka Ying Rising seems to have the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at his mercy as he aims to match Silent Witness’s all-time Hong Kong record of 17 straight wins. Then in the G1 Stewards’ Cup over a mile, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble will go head to head to determine which of the two might have a shot at completing the remaining two legs of the Hong Kong Triple Crown.

Cape Town Met Day
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 31

Trainer Justin Snaith won his fourth G1 Cape Town Met last year, and his third in a row, thanks to Eight On Eighteen and jockey Richard Fourie. He has six of the 11 entries this time around. Eight On Eighteen is back again to contest this year’s running, which is one of South Africa’s three all-age majors, alongside the Durban July and the Summer Cup. But Eight On Eighteen was only eighth recently in the G1 King’s Plate over a mile, finishing behind the victorious The Real Prince who also won the G1 Durban July last year by a neck from Eight On Eighteen. The field is set to feature the G1 Champions Cup winner Gladatorian. ∎

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