Godolphin kicks off new training era with trial victories for Michael Freedman
Randwick trainer Michael Freedman won two trials for the blue army with new additions to his yard – Polyglot and Ohope.
'They have a depth of a lot of nice horses, and these are the first couple they sent to me in the changeover,' Freedman said.
'Polyglot has pretty good, exposed form. They haven't rushed him, he's been given all the time in the world so hopefully we'll be the beneficiary of that.
'He seems to have come back in nice order and is ready to go in the next couple of weeks.
'I spoke to James about Ohope the other week and he said he's always given a good impression, just taken a bit of time.
'He still did a few little things wrong today, but he has his share of ability.'
Chris Waller also trialled a couple of his Godolphin recruits with quality mare Commemorative producing an eye-catching third while her stablemate Burma Star also rounded out the placings in his trial.
1⃣ Spring Lee
2⃣ General Salute
3⃣ Commemorative
An all the way win for the @BBakerRacing mare in a 900m trial at Rosehill on Tuesday. Also trialling were Anisette, Gatsby's and Powers Of Opal. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/92j5jZgUuH
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) July 28, 2025
Meanwhile, Freedman revealed Golden Slipper winner Marhoona was likely to bypass the Silver Shadow Stakes in August with the trainer leaning to the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on September 9 a likely starting point.
'She's coming along slowly,' he said.
'I'll probably let the Silver Shadow go being set weights and penalties.
'Being a Group 1 winner, she would get a three-kilo penalty in that so I think we will wait and kick her off in the Furious at set weights.
'She's grown, strengthened and seems good.
'She'll either have her first trial next Tuesday at Randwick or there are sets at Warwick Farm and Rosehill the Friday and Monday after that. We've got a bit of time so we're not in a rush.'
• Richard Callander: Can we please now step up instead of tear down?
Sydney's first Stakes race of the new season is the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9 and an emphatic trial win on Tuesday has Bjorn Baker giving thought to an ambitious first-up assault with his progressive mare Perfumist.
The rising four-year-old was trialling for the second time and she never gave her opposition a look in, leading throughout to score by 9-1/4 lengths from her Sydney Cup -winning stablemate Arapaho and The Metropolitan winner Land Legend in a 1000m course proper trial.
'I know they were stayers behind her but she looked pretty good to the eye,' Baker said.
'My original plan was to kick her off in a Benchmark 88 over 1200m on August 16 but more and more I'm thinking about giving her a shot in the Missile seven days prior.
'She's a mare without black-type, it's a Group 2 and it might be worth having a throw at the stumps being so early in the season.'
"This is going to be an exhibition."
Easy work for @BBakerRacing mare Perfumist as she wins a 1000m Rosehill trial on Tuesday over Group 1 winners Arapaho and Land Legend. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/fuizReB8Da
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) July 28, 2025
Baker was also pleased with the first trial performance of his three-time winning and Group 1-placed filly Within The Law.
One horse that will be lining up in the Missile Stakes (1200m) is the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou -trained General Salute which finished second in his 900m trial.
'I'm really happy with how he is going,' Ryan said.
'He trialled terrific, action was great, looks well and is strong than he's ever been.
'I'm really looking forward to his next run. I think he's really going well at the moment.'
Ryan also indicated his talented new season three-year-olds Skyhook  and Blitzburg will represent the stable in the Listed Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 16.
Blitzburg won a trial on Tuesday while Skyhook finished second.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
31 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Seagulls Eleven to target the $10 million Golden Eagle with English Premier League stars in the ownership
A horse owned by English Premier League football royalty will have the ultimate goal of winning Sydney's Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens this year as one of several potential international raiders for the $10m showpiece. Seagulls Eleven could be set to follow in the footsteps of 2024 Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest and head 'down under' in pursuit of the world's richest race for four-year-olds. The horse's name is a nod to Brighton Hove Albion, which are nicknamed The Seagulls and finished eighth in last year's Premier League. A host of Brighton players both past and present are involved in the horse, including English internationals James Milner, Danny Welbeck and Adam Lallana. Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen is also involved and is no stranger to bringing horses to Australia as an owner of ex-Melbourne Cup contender Brown Panther, which finished eighth in the famous two-mile race in 2013. Seagulls Eleven, wearing the blue and white colours of Brighton, is trained by English-based horseman Hugo Palmer and put a trip to Australia on the agenda with victory in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes (1609m) at the Glorious Goodwood carnival on Friday. A win for the seagulls! 🰽 Seagulls Eleven, owned by some @OfficialBHAFC players, wins a messy edition of the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes for team @hpalmerracing and @themichaelowen. 🟦⬜ï¸� — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 1, 2025 'He's taken us all around the world and I don't think we're done yet,' Palmer told the Racing Post. 'The Golden Eagle in Sydney has already been mentioned and why not? It's a $10 million race. Where can you say that in England?' Seagulls Eleven could have one more start in England in the City Of York Stakes before he would need to enter quarantine to head to Australia for the Golden Eagle on November 1 at Rosehill Gardens. Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering Nevesh Ramdhani was in the UK for the Glorious Goodwood and spoke to multiple stables about the prospect of heading to Sydney for the spring carnival. 'There has certainly been a lot of interest in Australian racing with horses from multiple yards interested in coming down,' Ramdhani said. 'Seagulls Eleven is one, Charlie Fellowes has a horse called Luther that ran at Saratoga on Friday and he's interested and of course William Haggas has a few potential horses.' Ramdhani will also spend time talking to stables in Japan on his way back to Australia. TAB have installed Seagulls Eleven as a $26 elect for the Golden Eagle with Chris Waller's star mares Autumn Glow ($3.50) and Lady Shenandoah ($4.50) heading betting for Sydney's second richest race. Haggas also has his sights set on the $500,000 Group 3 St Leger (2600m) on The Everest Day for staying talent Sam Hawkens.
News.com.au
41 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Brad Waters' horses to follow from Flemington on Saturday
News Corp form analyst Brad Waters runs his eye over Saturday's meeting at Flemington finding five horses to follow and forgive from the card. FENESTELLA (2.1 length 4th of 5, Race 1): The Shane Nichols -trained filly ran fourth over 1200m at Seymour on debut last month but went around at big odds despite being only one of five runners in the first race at Flemington. The race was a slowly-run affair, causing Fenestella to be flat-footed when the sprint went on early in the straight. However, Fenestella finished off her race strongly to finish two lengths from the winner. The Brazen Beau filly could continue to improve as she gains experience. CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (0.35-length 2nd of 8, Race 2): The Irish import looks to have had the benefit of more time in Australia with his excellent second at Flemington. Changingoftheguard went OK when resuming in Sydney on June 14 but went into Saturday's race off a six-week break. The former Aidan O'Brien-trained stayer raced handy to the speed and boxed on well in the straight to be beaten a long head while giving the winner 5.5kg. He could show up in the Archer Stakes next month. It's not easy to shake off Capper, but De Bergerac has done it! Tom Prebble and Grahame Begg combine on what could be a big day for the pair, holding out a gallant Capper Thirtynine ðŸ¤� — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025 CAPPER THIRTYNINE (0.15-length 2nd of 16, Race 3): Capper Thirtynine made a terrific return to racing for trainer Nick Ryan with his fighting second to handy sprinter De Bergerac down the Flemington straight. The five-year-old had not raced since March but was prominent throughout the Benchmark 74 contest before going down narrowly, giving the winner 2kg. He looks set to win a couple of similar contests this time in. TOO DARN DISCREET (0.75-length 1st of 15 Race 8): Too Darn Discreet produced a terrific effort to salute at her first crack at open-age racing at Flemington. She was a Group 2 winner as a three-year-old but those horses sometimes fail to progress in their four-year-old seasons. However, Too Darn Discreet's powerful Flemington finish showed she could develop further as her preparation progresses. TOO DARN DISCREET ðŸ'¥ She's back to her best! An explosive burst late under Declan Bates for the 2X Group winner sees her salute at $26 😱 @DOSullivanRace @decbates — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025 FARHH FLUNG (0.75-length 2nd of 15 Race 8): Farhh Fung is racing in great heart in two runs back from a four-week freshen, performing well again at Flemington on Saturday. The Danny O'Brien-trained galloper stepped up to BM84 class and looked a chance to break through for a deserved win but found the smart Too Darn Discreet too strong late. There's a win in store for him in the coming weeks. He's the King of the straight! King Of Roseau brings down the Sydney form and blows them away in the Aurie's Star ðŸ'' @SnowdenRacing1 — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025 PLEASE FORGIVE: EXIT (1.6-length 3rd of 5, Race 1): Exit was a victim of circumstances when a beaten favourite in the first race of the day. She ended up at the back of the field after a moderate start while the tempo of the five-horse race didn't suit the Ciaron Maher-trained filly. She ran on soundly but was unable to reel in the quinella horses late. She can bounce back in a bigger field soon. DOCUMENTARY (3.6-length 8th of 10, Race 4): The heavily backed Documentary was poised to pounce on the leaders at the halfway point of his 1000m assignment but didn't quicken in the second half of the race to be well held late. However, a later vet's examination found Documentary pulled up lame in a foreleg. FEDERER (1.5-length 2nd of 12, Race 5): Federer had a comfortable run to the home turn but had trouble getting clear running early in the straight, preventing him from building the required momentum to reel in the winner in the last 300m. He's worth another chance. Finishing the day in STYLISH fashion @FlemingtonVRC 😎 @blake_shinn wasn't going to go home without a winner! Stylish too good in the last for @lindsayparkrace — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025 STEWARDS SAY: EXIT (Third Race 1) – Rider Blake Shinn said she needed tracks with more give. EPIC PROPORTIONS (7th Race 3) – Held up from the 400m to the 250m. MUNHAMEK (8th Race 6) – Jockey Mark Zahra said the gelding might not have handled the seven-day break between runs. Jockey Liam Riordan suspended for eight meetings for overuse of the whip on Marble Nine in Race 8. EL SOLEADO (14th Race 8) – Blood in one nostril detected in post-race examination. Bold Soul is a beauty! He strikes again at Flemington for Team Payne and Micky Dee in a competitive finish to the staying event of the day ðŸ'° @mj_payne — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025 PUDDING (6th Race 8) – Held up from early in the straight until the 100m.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
West Indies win T20 thriller, level Pakistan series
Jason Holder has taken four wickets and then smashed a boundary off the final ball of the game to lift West Indies to a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan and level the three-match Twenty20 series. The veteran allrounder bowled an inspired spell to take 4-19 off four overs, as Pakistan struggled to 9-133 after winning the toss and batting first in Florida on Saturday. West Indies' reply also stumbled as Pakistan's spinners kept scoring difficult but late cameos by Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd kept West Indies just about in the contest before Holder's heroics off Shahid Shah Afridi's final delivery clinched it. It is the first West Indies T20 victory in seven matches, a span that includes a heavy 5-0 series defeat to Australia, on top of a 3-0 Test series sweep last month. "Been a tough couple of weeks for us," captain Shai Hope said. "We always try to get better, the guys have put in a lot of hard work. Hopefully today is the turnaround we are looking for." Earlier, Hasan Nawaz's 40 from 23 deliveries and captain Salman Agha's 38 from 33 led Pakistan from a precarious 4-53 in the 10th over, but 133 looked a vulnerable target at the innings break. Fresh from taking three wickets in Pakistan's 14-run win in the opening game at the same venue on Thursday, Mohammad Nawaz returned 3-14 from his four overs. When Roston Chase (16 off 19) was teased into a big shot by Saim Ayub, West Indies had sunk to 5-70 in the 14th over and looking at a steep mountain to climb. Motie got the innings moving with his quickfire 28 from 20 balls before Shepherd chipped in with 15 from 11, including taking 10 runs off Hasan Ali in the second-to-last over to give West Indies a glimpse. Needing eight runs from the final over, and three from the last delivery, Holder found the gap at backward square to score a boundary to end their T20 six-match losing streak. "We've had a fair bit of criticism which is warranted," player-of-the-match Holder said. "We haven't done justice to our potential. We can be a lot better, consistency has definitely plagued us."
