Latest news with #MidwayBenchmark72Handicap
Courier-Mail
7 days ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Trainers Richard, Will Freedman saddle four runners at Rosehill
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Richard and Will Freedman have set themselves some ambitious targets for the new racing season and they are looking to get off to a fast start at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The father/son training operation has been through and continues to make changes to the business with Richard, in his words, having 'loosened the reins'. Richard has moved to the family property at Broke, 25km south of Singleton, while Will manages the day-to-day running of the Rosehill stable which set a new benchmark in the recently concluded season. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'We trained over 50 winners in the season that is concluding,' Richard said. 'We've only got 40 boxes and I've always had the rule of thumb that if you're training a winner per box, you're going all right. 'We've outperformed that and with the horses we've had in those boxes, I think it's been a terrific effort. Will, 32, moved back to Sydney to join forces with his Group 1-winning father towards the end of the 2021/22 season and he's now moved into the driver's seat at their Rosehill base. 'Will has been the driving force of the stable throughout the season that has just ended,' Richard said. 'He's the one making the day-to-day decisions. 'He writes the work list, I used to write the work list but he does now. 'I'm the consigliere. I get consulted on decision, I get my input and doing all the work away from the stable on the farm. 'As a father I'm pretty happy with the way he's going.' Pocketing (green and white) wins the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes for Richard and Will Freedman earlier this year. Photo: Jason McCawley / Getty Images • NSW racing in the hands of the weather gods While Will manages the day-to-day operation of the Rosehill barn of Freedman Training, Richard is overseeing the development of his Hunter property which they hope will continue its transformation into a fully operational training centre in the next 12 months. 'We're at Broke, the next town to Pokolbin. We're surrounded by wineries,' Richard said. 'Right now we spell and pre-train at the farm but next year's we're looking to train a few horses off the property as well. 'As we speak, we are putting in an 1800 metre track at the farm. The grass track will be 25 metres wide. 'We're looking forward to adding the farm as a training base because we think that will help us up the results again.' On Saturday, the Freedmans have four runners and they kick off their 2025/26 season with the back-to-back provincial winner Cold Brew in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m). Richard and Will Freedman will on Saturday at Rosehill saddle up Cold Brew (red silks), pictured winning at Newcastle on July 15. Picture: Bradley Photos • Schiller gets green light for early spring return 'Everyone knows it's not easy winning your next start after winning a maiden and he's a bit of a slow learner so in some ways there was as much merit about his second win as there was when he trounced them at Hawkesbury,' Will Freedman said. 'I don't have a concern about the likelihood of a wet track for him, I think he'll handle it and the form around him is OK. 'He deserves his chance in a Saturday race in the city.' Next to go will be Rolling Magic, a Midway winner two starts back before being a victim of race tempo last start. The son of Per Incanto (USA) runs in the Jockeys Celebration Day Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m). 'His closing sectionals last start were very strong,' Will said. 'He ran home in 33.4 or something and he couldn't have gone any better. 'The way the race played out he was in an unwinnable position getting back from the draw. 'Drawn much better this time, I'd expect him to position much closer and he'll turn his form around in terms of his finishing position. 'The wet is a bit of an unknown but he's a fit horse that is going well.' Black-type winner Elettrica resumes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo:. • Wynen hoping to strike gold with Yulong cast-off It's hoped that one of the stable's spring big guns will be Elettrica and the mare resumes on Saturday in the NSW Jockeys Association Benchmark 94 Handicap (1300m). 'She's going really well but she's not a first-up horse,' Will said. 'She's never won first-up so if she had to draw the outside barrier, it happened in the right run of the prep. 'She doesn't love it wet but she's going to get back and I would be very happy if I get to see her passing a few in the last 200m.' Rounding out their quartet of runners is another horse resuming, Magnatear in the Congratulations Chris Waller Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m). 'If it was a dry track on Saturday, I'd be really confident with him,' Will said. 'I'm not saying he won't handle the wet track, I'm just unsure. 'He's a really healthy horse and I think he's going better than ever. I'm very excited about him heading into this preparation.' Originally published as Freedmans target fast start at Rosehill as stable expansion imminent
News.com.au
24-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Thompson aiming to cap off outstanding season with bang at Randwick on Saturday
Local trainer John Thompson is set to launch one of his spring hopefuls at Sydney's last Saturday meeting of the 2024/25 racing season at Royal Randwick. The concluding season has been fruitful for the popular, softly spoken trainer, his 55 winners has been his best haul of winners since 2019/20. 'Looking back I'm happy with how things have gone,' Thompson said. 'The results in the past 12 months have been good. 'I think we are heading into the new season with a solid team of young two and three-year-olds.' One of the stable's best prospects will return from a spell on Saturday in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale 2YO Open Handicap (1100m). Open Secret mixed it with some of the best of her generation during her only racing campaign. After winning on her home track on debut, the juvenile daughter of King's Legacy, finished within two lengths of Rivellino and Within The Law in consecutive starts. 'She's a talented filly and I'm really happy with how she's coming up,' Thompson said. 'I always thought she'd develop into a nice three-year-old and I hasn't seen anything to make me change my mind. 'She's trialled up well and I'm looking forward to seeing how she performs. 'She'll improve out of the run but I'm expecting her to be competitive. 'If she can win on Saturday, we'll chase the three-year-old fillies races, probably starting with the Silver Shadow on Winx Stakes day.' Thompson will then saddle up two runners in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m). The stable's leading chance is last year's Four Pillars winner Kingston Charm which goes in off an unlucky second in a similar race two weeks ago. 'She's a horse that tends to get back a bit and those types of horses always need a bit of luck,' he said. 'She's going well and third up she's pretty close to her peak now. 'It looks a nice race for her.' • New ATC chairman floats fresh plan for Rosehill The stablemate Starphistocated has had three starts for Thompson for a win and two thirds in easier grade, but the trainer said the filly deserves a shot in Saturday company. 'She's honest and done well,' he said. 'I think she's been looking for the mile on a bigger track and that's what she gets on Saturday. 'She's at her peak so she sets up to run as well as she can and as I said she's honest.' According to Thompson, Bundeena is one of his better chances in the ATC Thank You Trainers Benchmark 88 Handicap (1100m). The Spirit Of Boom gelding was an impressive first-up winner at Royal Randwick 14 days ago when running away to score easily in Benchmark 78 grade. 'Everything fell into place for him first-up but he was really good,' he said. 'I'm happy with how he's going this prep and on Saturday he's drawn perfectly again and a bit of moisture in the track won't hurt his chances. 'This race is a bit stronger, but I do think he's got upside so it's going to be interesting to see how he lines up against them. 'I couldn't be happier with how he's going into the race.' Rounding out Thompson's team on Saturday are the lightly raced four-year-olds Opal Fields and Zouripper in the ATC Thank You Owners Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m). Opal Fields steps up from midweek grade while Zouripper has had a short let-up since his last start in a Midway on June 5. 'Opal Fields is going well enough at home to run well in a race like this so don't underestimate her,' Thompson said. 'Zouripper is a horse that goes really well fresh. His first-up win at Kembla was a bloody good win. 'He had 10 days in the paddock since his last run, so he's been freshened as that's when he's most effective.' Heading into the new season Thompson nominated With Your Blessing and Open Secret as horses to follow out of his stable. 'With Your Blessing is a horse that is on the rise and not far away,' he said. 'He's going well this prep and I'm hoping he can step up. 'I also looking forward to seeing how Open Secret runs on Saturday. 'She's a filly that the best is still ahead of, and I like her a lot.'
Daily Telegraph
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
‘Hard to get your head around': Kembla track record holder comes to town
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Exciting sprinter Sunrise will earn herself a crack at black type if she back up an explosive first-up performance at Royal Randwick on Saturday. The Mitch Beer-trained filly broke the 1000m track record at Kembla Grange with a scintillating all the way win on her home course last month. She is a $2.90 chance to replicate the performance in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m). • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Beer also accepted in the Listed $160,000 Mick Dittman Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm but was elected to wait until another day to test in Sunrise in stakes company. 'If she had have drawn well, she would have gone to Queensland but it was just the barrier that swayed us,' Beer said. 'I think a three-year-old filly coming out of a Class 1 going to a Midway doesn't scream (early) $2.50 favourite but I think she is probably lucky to find a well suited Midway for her. 'If she can run well, we will go to Scone (Denise's Joy) with her because she is only three for a little while longer.' Sunrise started her career in New Zealand and is now in her second preparation with Beer. • Randwick Turf Talk for Saturday: 'I really can't believe the price' Her first-up form has been franked with runner-up Quartz Legend, which finished 7-1/4 lengths behind Sunrise, winning his next start at the same track and trip. The performance came as no surprise but Beer is wary not to get carried away with the form. 'I don't think she beat much the other day at Kembla and that probably made the form read a little bit better than what it looks,' he said. 'I think the best thing to take out of the race was the time. 'She ran a track record on a soft 5, which is pretty hard to get your head around. 'But it was a really good win and it was no surprise because she trialled extraordinarily well at Goulburn.' Rachel King pilots Sunrise from barrier one. Originally published as Trainer Mitch Beer is aiming to get black type for Kembla track record holder Sunrise
News.com.au
24-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Mitch Beer is aiming to get black type for Kembla track record holder Sunrise
Exciting sprinter Sunrise will earn herself a crack at black type if she back up an explosive first-up performance at Royal Randwick on Saturday. The Mitch Beer -trained filly broke the 1000m track record at Kembla Grange with a scintillating all the way win on her home course last month. She is a $2.90 chance to replicate the performance in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m). Beer also accepted in the Listed $160,000 Mick Dittman Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm but was elected to wait until another day to test in Sunrise in stakes company. 'If she had have drawn well, she would have gone to Queensland but it was just the barrier that swayed us,' Beer said. 'I think a three-year-old filly coming out of a Class 1 going to a Midway doesn't scream (early) $2.50 favourite but I think she is probably lucky to find a well suited Midway for her. 'If she can run well, we will go to Scone (Denise's Joy) with her because she is only three for a little while longer.' Sunrise started her career in New Zealand and is now in her second preparation with Beer. Woweee SUNRISE bolts in by 7 & sets a new 1000m track record!! ðŸ'¥ðŸ'¥ Well done @RacingJJJ Well found from the @mmsnippets broodmare sale for just 40k — mitchellbeer (@beermitchell) March 22, 2025 • Randwick Turf Talk for Saturday: 'I really can't believe the price' Her first-up form has been franked with runner-up Quartz Legend, which finished 7-1/4 lengths behind Sunrise, winning his next start at the same track and trip. The performance came as no surprise but Beer is wary not to get carried away with the form. 'I don't think she beat much the other day at Kembla and that probably made the form read a little bit better than what it looks,' he said. 'I think the best thing to take out of the race was the time. 'She ran a track record on a soft 5, which is pretty hard to get your head around. 'But it was a really good win and it was no surprise because she trialled extraordinarily well at Goulburn.'
