Freedman’s Mornington yard will be well-stocked come carnival time with an abundance of talent spread through its more youthful residents and also blessed with ample ammunition among the proven brigade.
Of the rising 3-year-olds, the Godolphin-bred and raced Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) shapes as a leading spring contender following an impressive juvenile campaign.
The colt was successful in the Listed Merson Cooper S. on debut and then won the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (colts & geldings) before storming to victory in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude.
Hanseatic
Hanseatic was narrowly beaten in the G1 Blue Diamond S. and turned out after finishing out of the money on soft ground in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
“He’s back at Pinecliff and arrived here a couple of weeks ago and did a couple of weeks of pre-training before that,” Freedman’s Racing Manager Brad Taylor said.
“He’s in the early part of his preparation and we’ll build him up to more serious work. We haven’t locked in any firm plans with him, but the overall goal will probably be the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington.
"We haven’t locked in any firm plans with him, but the overall goal will probably be the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington. " - Brad Taylor
“How we get there, we’re not entirely sure yet. There are options like the G1 Moir S. or the more traditional 3-year-old path.
“We’ll get him up to the more serious part of his preparation and then confirm plans. He’s a lot stronger, he’s certainly filled out and looks great.”
Filly blossoms
Realm Of Flowers (So You Think {NZ}) made impressive progress through the autumn, culminating in her G3 South Australia Classic victory at Morphettville.
“She’s a filly that has continued to improve each preparation and she did a really good job in South Australia in the autumn. She’s into her second week with the pre-trainers and a race like the G2 Matriarch S. is probably ideal for her,” Taylor said.
“We’ll aim for that and if she warrants going any higher then we’ll lift our target. She is a filly that will only improve further and she’s going to develop into a beautiful-looking 4-year-old.
“It’s great to have another good horse for the McClures and James Bester and the team and they are good supporters of the stable, so hopefully we can add more black type to the pedigree page.”
Hot 3YO prospects
High hopes are also held for a quartet of rising 3-year-olds in the stable.
“Charm School is a nice filly, she disappointed when she went to Adelaide, but she’s certainly better than that. She will probably run through the early 3-year-old fillies’ series and races like the Listed Atlantic Jewel S.,” Taylor said.
“She’s bred to get a mile and we’ll give her the opportunity to get through the G1 Thousand Guineas and she’s back in the stable from the pre-trainers. Put a line through her last run as her first run was super and we believe she’s one of our best ones. "
Toyetic (Sebring) is another lightly-tried prospect who followed up a debut second with a breakthrough win at Sandown.
“Whether he’s a G1 Caulfield Guineas horse we’re not sure, but we’ll give him the chance to get there. He’ll have a couple of weeks here at Pinecliff and be boxed at night and ready him for the spring.”
“Whether he’s a G1 Caulfield Guineas horse we’re not sure, but we’ll give him the chance to get there." - Brad Taylor
Ain’tnodeeldun (Dundeel {NZ}) has yet to win in three appearances, but the stable rates him highly as a staying prospect.
“A horse like Ain’tnodeeldun, a really nice Dundeel colt, could probably follow the exact same path Warning did to the G1 VRC Derby. He looks super and is an exciting one to follow,” Taylor said.
“Miss Conduct was placed at Sale in her only start behind Cherry Tortoni and there have been a number of winners out of that race. She’s a filly we believe is very good and can race through the grades.”
Black type chase
With the decision made by Godolphin to keep Lyre (Lonhro) in training, the stable is focussed on adding to the Group 1 winner’s record.
Lyre
“She’s returned and looks fantastic so we certainly can’t complain with her, she’s done well. She ran well all preparation and didn’t come up last spring when we tried to stretch her out to a mile,” Taylor said.
“It was obvious when she ran in the Guineas that she doesn’t see out a strong mile. She was very good in the autumn when we put the blinkers on and took on the older horses, her runs were full of merit in the two Group 1s in Adelaide.
"Her runs were full of merit in the two Group 1s in Adelaide. " - Brad Taylor
“We’ll be keeping her to the sprinting trips and that probably limits her options a little bit, but we’ll keep the blinkers on and hopefully add another Group 1 to her page.
“Whether she heads to stud this year or waits for next, we'll probably be guided by her form in the early part of the spring.”
Sights on Cup
Freedman also has hopes of mounting a two-pronged attack on the G1 Melbourne Cup with the G1 VRC Derby winner Warning (Declaration Of War {USA}) and the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. winner Steel Prince (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}).
“Warning arrived back at Pinecliff last week and he will be targeted toward the Melbourne Cup. He’s just an out and out stayer and he showed that in the G1 South Australia Derby when he was strong through the line,” Taylor said.
Warning when winning the G1 Victoria Derby in 2019
“The Cup will be our sole focus and if the Europeans don’t come out then he’s certainly a realistic chance to finish in the top 10, if not top five – we certainly know he is going to stay. If the internationals don’t come out it’s going to be a very open Cup.
“Steel Prince ran in the Melbourne Cup last year and had a slight setback in the autumn and he has returned really well. He’ll follow a similar path to last year through the Listed Heatherlie H., the G3 Naturalism S. and into the Cup.
“He ran ninth in the Cup last year and only beaten 2.1l and over-raced for the majority of the race and off an interrupted campaign. He’s another horse that can be right in the finish of the Melbourne Cup if there are no internationals.”
Santa in pre-training
At the other end of the distance range, the multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is preparing for another return to action and will be guided by his early preparation performances.
Santa Ana Lane
“Santa is back at the pre-trainers and he looks fantastic. He had a nice break after his last preparation and we’ll be guided by how he comes up,” Taylor said.
“If we’re not entirely happy with him or he’s showing signs that he’s had enough, then we would have no hesitation in retiring him.
“The spanner has been thrown in the works with the New South Wales ban as The Everest would be the ideal target if he got a slot, otherwise we could set him for the Darley Classic, which he won a couple of years ago.
“As I say, we would have no hesitation in retiring him, he’s been a great horse, but he looks great and is enjoying being back at the stable with the pre-trainer.”
