Cover image courtesy of Richard and Will Freedman Training
Will Freedman spoke to TTR about their spring ambitions for this season and the barn is going through a rebuilding stage with not many older horses stepping up. It’s mostly about the young stock, led by Group 1 candidate Genesis Runner (Gun Runner {USA}).
“We've got a young team at the moment with a few nice 3-year-olds,” Freedman said.
Older horses
Magnatear, 7-year-old gelding (Written Tycoon x Cries And Whiskers {Street Cry (Ire)})
“Magnatear is one of the ones that'll fly the flag a bit at the moment. He's a 7-year-old Written Tycoon gelding who ran second to Skyhook in the G2 Theo Marks first up.
“He'll run in the Shannon this weekend, the Alan Brown, and then his grand final is the Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day. He’s one of the more elite, older horses that we have at the moment.”
Attractiveness (NZ), 4-year-old mare (Hello Youmzain (Fr) x Hot In High Heels {High Chaparral (Ire)})
“One to watch for the autumn is a 4-year-old mare called Attractiveness. She won a couple last preparation. She looks quite progressive and she may line up in a nice race in the autumn.”
Journeyman, 4-year-old gelding (The Autumn Sun x Dream Tiara (Jpn) {Heart's Cry (Jpn)})
“At the back end of the spring, we'll probably see Journeyman, who won his first and only race at Warwick Farm in really devastating fashion. He went out with another injury, he's very fragile. We might not see him until the late part of the spring, but I'd argue, he is probably the most talented galloper in our barn.
“He’s terribly frustrating but patience is a virtue. I don't have a lot of it, but I'm sure it's good if you do have a lot of it!”
Gallery: Richard and Will Freedman Training's older horses
3-Year-Olds
Genesis Runner, 3-year-old colt (Gun Runner (USA) x Originator (USA) {Artie Schiller (USA)})
“He ran second in the Up & Coming. He ran a good race in Ming Dynasty and then he'll run in the Dulcify on Epsom Day, and he'll hopefully run in the G1 Spring Champion. His grand final would be the Spring Champion.
“He's a nice, exciting colt.”
Shahaameh, 3-year-old filly (All Too Hard x Shuwaamekh {Snitzel})
“A horse that debuted yesterday at Warwick Farm called Shahaameh is an All Too Hard filly. She ran third on debut in a hot maiden, and I think she'll be pretty progressive this time around.”
Heard Of Him (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Derryn x Mifflin {Street Cry (Ire)})
“Heard Of Him broke his maiden at Hawkesbury and I think he'll be quite progressive this spring and into the summer. He's a Derryn that I bought from the Ready To Run at Karaka for Hello Sports, a micro-syndication group. It’s the same syndication company that own Cold Brew but a different podcast.”
Cold Brew (Pierro) has gone out for a spell after winning twice in the city over winter. All up he has five wins from 13 starts.
Revolina, 3-year-old filly (Russian Revolution x She’s Furline {I Am Invincible})
“There's a nice filly called Revolina, a Russian Revolution filly that will debut in the next couple of weeks. She'll race competitively through the spring and hopefully in a perfect world, she keeps progressing and she could potentially line up in a race like the Sunlight up at Magic Millions.”
Written In Munny, 3-year-old colt (Written Tycoon x Always Inthe Munny (USA) {Munnings (USA)})
“We've got a horse that's been a bit disappointing recently, but I think might be able to regain form pretty quickly called Written in Munny. He ran forth in the Cannonbury as a 2-year-old. He had a bit of a setback for his first start as a 3-year-old, but he'll kick back into gear in the next week or two and he might be one to watch as well.”
Gallery: Richard and Will Freedman Training's 3-year-old horses
2-Year-Olds
“We're traditionally not a stable that has a whole heap of early 2-year-old runners. Most of them are just finding their way,” Freedman said.
“You usually find out more about 2-year-olds at the trials, to be honest. They show you a bit at home and you throw them in the deep end in the trials and then they sink or swim, but we're certainly not taxing them too much at home to be knowing if they're super early or not.
“The ones that are most precocious, usually those the ones that are the most natural.
“It's all a learning curve and some of them learn quicker than others and one thing you're always battling with connections is telling an owner that it's not precocious and it's a little bit of a slower learner, but slow learning generally doesn't mean a lack of ability.
“They all develop at their own rate, and I think that's why trainers are taking a bit more time now. At the dawn of the days where there were more than 20 early 2-year-old trials, we're now down to about nine. I think the mentality for trainers has been to be a little bit more cautious early. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is for other people to decide, but certainly there's always been the adage of look after them early and they'll look after you later and that is something that Richard and I adopt.”
Unnamed, 2-year-old filly (Sword Of State x La Tardigrada {I Am Invincible})
“We have a nice Sword Of State filly out of a mare called La Tardigrada who is owned in combination with a couple of clients, and she’ll run in Tony Ottbre’s colours. She hasn't been named yet. That's why she didn't trial (on Monday). She’s quite precocious.”
The filly was sold by Cambridge Stud at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale to Richard and Will Freedman for NZ$130,000.
Victorious Dame, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Always Inthe Munny (USA) {Munnings (USA)})
“Victorious Dame looks quite early. She was bought for about 400 at the Magic Millions and is a half-sister to Written In Munny.”
She was purchased from Segenhoe Stud for $475,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Gallery: Richard and Will Freedman Training's 2-year-old horses
