Consistent Insurrection claims Canterbury Sprint

If consistency counts then jockey Zac Lloyd and four-year-old Insurrection are summer pin-ups as the the young Queeslander steered the gelding to victory in Sydney’s New Year’s Day feature, the Listed Canterbury Stakes (1200m).

Narrowly beaten last start in the Listed Razor Sharp Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on December 9, a relaxed Insurrection settled and turned on the speed when asked to win the $200,000 feature.

In their last eight starts together, the pair have finished outside of the top two once for a fourth placing.

Among those runs are five wins of which this one becomes Insurrection’s first at black-type level.

“He was superb today,” Lloyd said.

“It was the best he has ever relaxed and with the turn-of-foot, he still needed luck but he was super.”

Trainer Michael Freedman had hoped that Lloyd would not engage in an early speed battle and without using too much energy too early, it proved to be a winning tactic.

Taking his career prizemoney above to nearly $800,000, the son of Russian Revolution was a $150,000 purchase at the 2021 Inglis Classic Sale.

Insurrection ($4.60) claimed the feature sprint by more than a length-margin over the Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace-trained Recommendation ($6.50) with veteran King Of Hastings ($9.50) a further length away in third.

Race favourite Brudnell ($4) weaked in the straight to finish sixth, eight-lengths from the winner.