REDZEL only needs a top five finish in the Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday to become the nation’s greatest prizemoney-winning sprinter.

But you sense trainers Peter and Paul Snowden have Redzel primed to make a real statement and prove he is on track to defend his title in The Everest.

Redzel, brilliant winner of the Concorde Stakes earlier this month, has not raced for 28 days after missing a scheduled start in The Shorts two weeks ago when he became cast in his box on race eve.

But trainer Peter Snowden maintains Redzel is right back on target for the $13 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 13.

“Redzel worked strongly again on Tuesday morning,’’ Snowden said. “He worked well again (Thursday), so he’s in great order now. He’s there to run well in what’s a very, very good race but we know we’ve got a very good horse.

“This run will bring him right on and get him to where we want him for The Everest in two weeks.’’

Redzel is the $2.60 TAB Fixed Odds favourite to win the Premiere Stakes in a race that has been dubbed a “mini-Everest”.

Everest hopefuls Trapeze Artist ($3), In Her Time ($6), Santa Ana Lane ($8) and Shoals ($12) are also contesting the Premiere Stakes.

Redzel has already amassed $8,810,750 in earnings during his stellar career and with a top five Premiere finish, he will vault into fifth on the all-time prizemoney list behind the great Winx on a staggering $19,552,424.

But he will move the prizemoney earnings of Chautauqua at $8,821,935 to become the greatest stakes-earning sprinter in Australian racing.

Redzel is poised to achieve the feat as Chautauqua is readied to try and revive his race career – and his Everest hopes – in a specially convened barrier trial at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Chautauqua needs to jump away with the field in the trial for stewards to lift the racing ban on the sprinter.

Regular jockey Tommy Berry will be at Moonee Valley to ride Chautauqua in the 1000m trial against six rivals that is scheduled between races four and five.

There is one slot remaining for The Everest with slot-holders Max Whitby and Neil Werrett indicated they are likely to try and negotiate a deal with Chautauqua’s owners to secure the final starting position.

Also at Moonee Valley, trainer Darren Weir’s Everest starters Brave Smash and Nature Strip clash in the Group 1 $500,000 Moir Stakes (1000m).

This is also the last chance for fringe Everest contenders Houtzen, Viddora and Ball Of Muscle to try and push a late claim for a start in the big race.

AUSTRALIA’S ALL-TIME LEADING PRIZEMONEY EARNERS

1 Winx $19,552,424

2 Makybe Diva $14,526,690

3 Sunline $11,351,610

4 Northerly $9,341,850

5 Chautauqua $8,821,935

6 So You Think $8,813,497

7 Redzel $8,810,750

8 Black Caviar $7,953,936

9 Buffering $7,300,190

10 Criterion $7,268,869

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
SANTA Ana Lane, continuing a decades-long tradition of success for his syndicate of owners, clashes with five of his The Everest rivals in the Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The talented sprinter with the booming finish takes on Trapeze Artist, Redzel, Invincible Star, In Her Time and Shoals in a star-studded Premiere, which is challenging for race-of-the-day status at the Epsom Handicap meeting.

This is the final lead-up race for the six sprinters before the $13 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 13.

Santa Ana Lane is raced by a group of mainly Melbourne-based owners celebrating the 40th anniversary of the formation of their William Street Syndicate. The group consists of 30 people, including businessmen, lawyers, bankers and captains of industry.

“I’m surprised how excited all the owners are as we get closer to The Everest,’’ syndicate spokesman Michael Ramsden said.

“Santa Ana Lane is coming up well and the Premiere Stakes is a very important race.

“I would think probably The Everest will suit him a bit better as it will be a bigger field with more pace than the Premiere, but he should run well (Saturday).’’

Ramsden is also a part-owner of champion sprinter Chautauqua, who faces a crucial barrier trial test between races at Moonee Valley tonight as he makes a late bid to secure a start in The Everest.

“I was at The Everest last year when Chautauqua ran (fourth to Redzel) and it was a great day,’’ Ramsden said. “We will see how he goes (Friday night).

“It will be an interesting training performance if he gets through and into The Everest, it will be exciting for the race as well — but at least Santa Ana Lane is already in the field.’’

The Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana Lane won three Group 1 races last season — the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Goodwood Handicap and Stradbroke Handicap — and was deservedly selected by William Inglis for their Everest slot.

Santa Ana Lane was purchased for $80,000 at the Inglis Premier Sales four years ago and has already won six of his 28 starts, earning more than $2.2 million prizemoney.

“He has been a fantastic horse for us,’’ Ramsden said. “With maturity, he’s developed into a top sprinter. He’s won three Group 1 races and had a couple of very close runs.”

The William Street Syndicate which races Santa Ana Lane was formed in the 1970s by Ramsden’s late father Andrew, a former Victoria Racing Club chairman.

Those in the syndicate are all members of the Australian Club, which is located in William St in Melbourne’s CBD, hence the name.

Their first racehorse was called William Street — although he won’t go down in the annals of the all-time greats. But in each decade since, the syndicate has raced an outstanding Group 1 winner, with Santa Ana Lane their latest star.

“The next horse the syndicate raced was Gurner’s Lane and after the success we had with him the decision was made to try and use Lane in the naming of most of our horses,” Ramsden said.

Gurner’s Lane won the 1982 Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double, the latter a famous win over the legendary Kingston Town.

The William Street Syndicate’s next good horse was Paris Lane, winner of the 1994 Caulfield Cup and Mackinnon Stakes, and a second placegetter to Jeune in the Melbourne Cup.

De Gaulle Lane was the syndicate’s next Group 1 winner, scoring a runaway five- length win in the 2001 Queensland Derby, but injury prevented the talented stayer from fulfilling his potential later on in his career.

Santa Ana Lane has made the syndicate’s patient wait for their next Group 1 winner worth it with his treble of majors last season in Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.

The naming of the syndicate’s four Group 1 winners is interesting.

Gurner’s Lane was a fairly obvious one as it is a laneway in Melbourne off William St.

Paris Lane was out of a mare called French Twist, while De Gaulle Lane’s name drew its inspiration from the French general and statesman Charles De Gaulle, who later became president of France.

De Gaulle Lane’s sire is The Commander while his dam D’Accord means “OK” in French, and his grandam is the 1976 Epsom Handicap winner La Neige, which is French for “snow”.

Santa Ana Lane is by Lope De Vega out of Fast Fleet and his name is even more exotic.

Lope De Vega was a Spanish poet who travelled on the Spanish Armada and one of that fleet’s biggest ships was called “Santa Ana”.

“There is also a Santa Ana Lane in Los Angeles but the horse was named after the ship,’’ Ramsden said.

The syndicate’s latest horse is a two-year-old by Starspangledbanner called Trump Lane, which needs no explanation.