Hellbent’s synthetic star Lhasa earns crack at Group 3

Lhasa showed once again that he is more than just a synthetic track specialist when beating a handy line-up on the grass at Te Rapa last month, with his performance earning him another shot at black type in Sunday’s Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Arawa Park in New Zealand.

The seven-year-old son of Hellbent has shown a propensity for polytrack racing, recording six of his eight wins on the surface, and it wasn’t until last year that he earned his first winner’s cheque on the turf.

However, he has shown that was no fluke, finishing runner-up behind Sterling Express in last year’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and was given a crack at elite-level in this year’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in January.

He returned to the synthetic over winter where he posted a couple of placings under mammoth weight. He returned to the grass at Te Rapa last month where he enjoyed a comparatively light weight of 56kg, and he took care of a handy field, including Group One performer Affirmative Action.

“His form has been pretty good all year and each run has been a good run. The first time back on the grass this season and he really enjoyed it. It was a nice win,” trainer and part-owner Mark Treweek said. “He has done really well since his last run; I am really happy with him.”

Sunday will be Lhasa’s third tilt at weight-for-age level, and he will carry 59kg from barrier eight, with apprentice jockey Elen Nicholas aboard.

“It is a nice race worth good money, and he deserves his chance to line-up. His form is good and he is very well,” Treweek said.

“Fingers crossed he can go a good race.”