Lyre (horse)

A Godolphin-owned and -bred horse, Lyre was one of six yearlings that was placed with Anthony Freedman rather than the usual stable of James Cummings, and the first of them to race.[1]

Lyre made her debut at Caulfield on New Years Day 2019, finishing 5th. On 20 January, she had her first win in a maiden at Sale. Freedman Racing Manager Brad Taylor said, "She took a while to warm up there but was really good through the line. When she hit the front she still wanted to wobble around about so there’s still plenty of prep to come."[2]

Jumping at $26 in the Blue Diamond Prelude Fillies, she won by a long neck. Freedman said, "She’s improving all the time. The win at Sale had merit as she just didn’t know how to put them away she’s gone on with it and then she went to the farm and put a lot of weight on... we’ve always had a fair opinion of her."[3] A fortnight later, she "stormed home" to win $900,000 in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes. Freedman said, "She's a quality filly. She was unlucky in her first run, arguably she could be unbeaten. She's kept coming and coming and improving. They ran fairly good time, and she was the strongest."[4]

Running third in the Golden Slipper Stakes to $30 Kiamachi, Lyre was part of a trifecta for the Godolphin stable, coming from 12th with 400 metres to run.[5]

Spelling until the 2019/20 racing year, Lyre returned in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes on 27 August, finishing a "credible" fourth.[6] She was scratched from the Danehill Stakes when the stable said she "didn't scope up to scratch",[7] but a week later came second behind William Thomas at Caulfield. She contested a further two group races in this campaign, failing to place.

After a four-month spell, Lyre returned in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes, finishing second in a Godolphin trifecta.[8] She then finished fourth in the Surround Stakes on 29 February 2020.