Jockey Ben Melham landed another group 1 triumph while winning one of South Australia’s great races for a third time at the weekend.
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The former Ballarat boy rode Santa Ana Lane to victory in the $1million Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville on Saturday.
The win followed those aboard Platelet in 2013 and Smokin' Joey the following year.
Melham said he had to ride Santa Ana Lane conservatively and for luck after the gelding lacked early speed from the barriers.
“I was going to come wide, but it was going to be a hassle to do so and I would have been covering a lot of ground,” he said.
“So when it opened up back to the inside I was happy to go there and when he showed that turn of foot he was too good.”
In an all Melbourne-trained finish, Santa Ana Lane prevailed over last year's runner-up Missrock with I'll Have A Bit in third place.
Santa Ana Lane is trained by Anthony Freedman and is now a two-time group 1 winner.
