LANE IN HOT FORM LEADING INTO AUTUMN

Star jockey Damian Lane showed all his guile as he urged Safe Passage to victory at Pakenham on Thursday night bringing up his third win in a row for the Danny O'Brien team.

Lane partnered Viral to win at Flemington on Saturday, then backed that up with a win aboard Need New Friends at Sandown yesterday before tonight's triumph.

In all three races, Lane settled up on the speed which ensured his horses would be in the firing line late in their races.  

"Things are going well, Danny is placing and preparing these horses perfectly and I am the lucky one getting to steer them home," Lane said. 

"I have been doing a fair bit of the work with the team at Barwon Heads, Geelong and Flemington and there are some nice horses about to step out heading into the Autumn which is exciting."

Post race Lane said he was hoping to settle Safe Passage behind the speed, however the filly became quite keen and wanted to put herself in the race.

"It wasn't ideal as in her trials we have been trying to teach her to settle in behind horses with cover, but she was very fresh and wanted to get on with it so I had to flow with her. Given this it was a really good effort first-up to score the win so strongly," Lane said.

"She will gain a lot of confidence from this win and she is definately city class, and with luck it wouldn't surprise me if she ended up a black-type filly."

Pic by Racing Photos