Spacing the runs of Santa Ana Lane is the key to success with the entire according to trainer Anthony Freedman who is excited ahead of the galloper’s 2017 Winterbottom Stakes bid in Perth on the weekend.

The Lope De Vega five-year-old is one of three horses from the eastern states over in W.A. on Saturday lining-up in the 13 horse field for the Group 1 $1 million Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).

Santa Ana Lane is at Ascot Racecourse for the first time and is down to a genuine sprint distance after winning the Group 1 $500,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) last time out at Caulfield on October 1.

Prior to that the horse last raced on September 9 when a length back fourth to Japanese import Brave Smash in the Listed Chandler McLeod Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.

Mornington-based Freedman has kept Santa Ana Lane fresh again ahead of the horse’s shot at back-to-back Group 1 wins and stable representative Sam Freedman believes their runner shapes-up as a competitive hope.

“We thought he races best fresh,” Freedman, who is with the horse in Perth, told the Herald Sun on the weekend.

“He had had a long preparation going into the Sir Rupert Clarke and this gave us the opportunity to give him a little break and this race mapped perfectly for him.”

The other key to unlocking the best out of Santa Ana Lane was getting a race with pace according to Freedman.

“He needs the pace on, which happened in that race [the Sir Rupert Clarke] and that’s what we’re hoping for on Saturday. Hopefully he’ll settle midfield and get to the outside,” he said.

Anthony Freedman agreed and said both race speed and having the horse injury free were crucial.

“Generally he needs speed on in his races like there was at Caulfield they day he won and at that level you’d think there’d be good speed on in a 1200m race and if it works out that way he can put himself right in the finish,” the trainer told Racing Victoria.

“He had a trial at Balnarring a couple of weeks ago and I was happy with that but physically he’s in very good order and that’s the main thing and his feet are good.”

Jockey Dean Yendall retains the ride on Santa Ana Lane and instructions for the hoop will be to have the horse settled off the pace and race on late.

“Dean Yendall is going to stay on him,” Freedman confirmed.

“He trialled him the other day and there was no reason to change things and he won on him when he won at Caulfield so he’s knows how best to ride him.

“I watched a couple of races at Ascot over the weekend and they seemed to be running on a bit there and that will hopefully suit his style of racing and it looks a race that he’s well placed in.”

The latest Winterbottom Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on the final field have locally-trained State Solicitor ($4) and visiting Adelaide-based mare Viddora ($4) battling for favouritism, while Santa Ana Lane is a $7.50 shot.

Grant & Alana Williams saddle-up State Solicitor, a lightly-raced five-year-old who has won nine of his 12 career starts to date including two on the trot at Ascot.

Last time out the son of Nicconi saluted in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) and dual Winterbottom winning hoop William Pike retains the ride in the Group 1.

Viddora meanwhile is yet to win over further than 1100m, but the bookies are taking no chances with the Lloyd Kennewell-trained mare after her two nice Group 1 efforts at The Valley this campaign.

Check out the latest Winterbottom Stakes 2017 odds online now through Ladbrokes.com.au.