Latest news with #WillFreedman
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Let's Fly puts herself in contention for next month's Group 1 Queensland Oaks with a dominant victory at Randwick
Let's Fly lived up to her name with a runaway Royal Randwick win that just might have earned her a start in the Queensland Oaks. Then 45 minutes later, Casual Connection also put daylight between himself and his chasing rivals to put himself into the Brisbane Cup conversation. For a Saturday Sydney off-carnival meeting without a stakes event, some of the dominant and classy winners including Let's Fly and Casual Connection showed they were on target for interstate feature race raids. Promising three-year-old filly Let's Fly made a mess of her rivals in the Chalouhi Handicap (1800m), scoring by a widening margin of nearly six lengths. Let's Fly ($31) raced in a forward position, took the lead around the turn then exploded away to win by five-and-three-quarter lengths from classic hopefuls She's A Dealer ($10) and Hurstville Zagreb ($4.20 favourite). Will Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Richard, said Let's Fly's win has given connections reason to consider setting her for the Group 1 $700,000 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 7. 'I thought she ran really well last week when she over-raced for the large majority of it and we thought, on a heavy track and a week back-up she might settle better,' Freedman said. 'I know the question will be, will we go to Queensland for the Oaks but we will make that decision in the next week or so. 'We have always had a high opinion of her, she ran in the Thousand Guineas last spring, and she has matured a lot this preparation. 'But she has come to hand a lot quicker than I thought. I thought an Oaks was way too ambitious but she has beaten them like a good thing.' ✈ï¸� Let's Fly makes a mess of them all at Randwick! @NockBraith | @R1CHARDFREEDMAN | @willfreedman â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 • Let's Fly is part-owned by Sky Sports Radio's Racing HQ presenter Dave Stanley who for once was almost lost for words after the race. 'This is my first Saturday winner in town, it's a great thrill,' Stanley said. Master New Zealand trainer Roger James is still hopeful of getting She's A Dealer to the Oaks despite being well-beaten by Let's Fly. 'My jockey, George Rooke, said She's A Dealer normally sprints and puts the race to bed quickly but she couldn't today,' James said. 'She's a high class filly, we like her a lot, but we have only ever seen her on much better tracks than this. She got weighed down on that track and the winner had taken flight by then. 'But we came here to try and do a job to get into the Queensland Oaks and she's earned another $29,000 for her second. 'They have changed the entry qualification for the Oaks to average earnings per start and she has only had four starts now so that might get us quite close. 'What we will do is prepare her here and then go up Wednesday night before the Oaks. If she doesn't make the field she will get on the plane to go home.' ðŸ¤� Casual Connection relishes on the heavy track and brains them at Randwick! @jsargentracing | @MollyBourke7 â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 • 'Very easy watch': Agarwood dominates juvenile opener Then it was Casual Connection's turn to make a statement with his strong staying effort to win the PF Civil Handicap (2400m). Ridden by star apprentice Molly Bourke, Casual Connection ($11) raced away to score by three lengths from Wuddzz ($4.80 favourite) with just over a length to Asgoodassobergets ($6.50). Trainer John Sargent revealed Casual Connection won the same Randwick race last year before earning a start in the Group 2 $400,000 Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm only to finish unplaced behind Alegron. Sargent said Casual Connection could go back for a second crack at the Brisbane Cup on June 14 if the track is rain-affected. 'We ran him in the Brisbane Cup last year but the track was too firm for him,' Sargent said. 'If we happen to get a wet track for the Brisbane Cup next month, then I would give him another chance in the race. 'He's a tough stayer but he's at his best on rain-affected going. Molly rode him very well because the horse needs plenty of galloping room to build his momentum. 'He's not a sit-sprint type, he needs to get into his rhythm because he stays all day.'
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Goulburn preview: Dynamic Syndications' Adam Watt is justifiably upbeat about the chances of their four runners
A little bit of bad luck cost Tact from running a place in the MTC Guineas and a drop back in grade has the gelding is perfectly placed to atone. Tact followed a handy first-up fourth at Newcastle with a narrow maiden win at Kembla before heading to Wagga last start where he finished a length-and-a-half fifth behind talented filly Dupli Kate in the three-year-old feature. 'His run was really good in the Wagga Guineas, said Dynamic Syndications' Adam Watt. 'He was slow away and just had to do a little too much work to get up outside the leader. They went very quick through the early and middle part of the race. 'He got a touch of interference late in the piece as well which wasn't ideal. 'He was good on the line and coming again.' The Richard and Will Freedman -trained three-year-old can bounce back when he lines up in the Midway Class 1 Handicap (1600m). Tact leads all the way and holds on to salute in the first at Kembla! 🙌 @R1CHARDFREEDMAN @willfreedman @KPMcEvoy â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 15, 2025 The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! 'We feel he has trained on nicely and I expect him to go to Goulburn and be very hard to beat,' Watt said. 'I'd be disappointed if he wasn't fighting out the finish.' Watt admitted they may have made a mistake running Ready To Rocket first-up at Kembla on April 15 when she just peaked on her run in the straight. She followed with a solid third behind all-the-way winner Let's Go Again in a Benchmark 64 on a Heavy 8 there second-up. 'She was brilliant on debut winning in good style and good time,' said Watt. 'We probably got a touch greedy first-up and went to the races too quick after two very good trials. 'She was probably still a gallop short and we probably should have waited another week or so. 'She ran well but just a bit short of where she needed to be. 'I thought she was terrific at Kembla the other day. Anna (Roper) rode her well and she hit the line full of gusto.' She is now at her peak for the Class 1 Handicap where she drops back to 1000m where she has drawn barrier 1 with Zac Lloyd to ride the Ciaron Maher -trained mare. 'Coming back to Class 1 grade will really suit her on a big, open track like Goulburn,' he said. 'From a good draw third-up, I expect to see her posy up closer and I'm not surprised early market support for her. The opener at Canterbury goes to Sounds Unusual, and it's a wining start to 2025 for @cwallerracing and @nashhot! @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 1, 2025 'I feel she is well weighted as a four-year-old mare only carrying 57 kilos when a couple of three-year-olds have to give her weight off Wyong and Canberra Maiden wins.' In the same race, Dynamic are represented by the Jason Deamer -trained Sagaponack. The three-year-old took improvement from her first-up fourth at Taree and broke through for her maiden win with a handy performance at Port Macquarie second-up. 'We took her to Port Macquarie to get a win on the board. We thought it was important for her resume,' he said. 'Now that she has, she can well and truly to provincial level and make her presence felt. 'I think she is well and truly over the odds.' Their final runner for the day is the aptly-named The Beast in the Maiden Handicap (1600m). The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding has taken good improvement from his first-up third to Meille De Lune over 1500m at Newcastle and is suited over the mile. 'I can't believe he is the price he is,' he said 'He got through the heavy ground well enough first-up over 1500m which is no easy thing to do. He will appreciate going up 100m in trip. 'From a formline point of view, he would be a maiden for too much longer and I can certainly see him breaking through this week.' â– â– â– â– â– Randwick trainer Michael Freedman is keeping a close eye on the weather forecasts for the Southern Tablelands before making a final decision if Twinkling Star and Gorbachev make the trip to Goulburn. Freedman certainly doesn't want heavy ground for the pair and admitted they were 50/50 of making the trip south. 'Both my horses need a reasonably dry track and I wouldn't send them if it was going to be much worse than that,' said Michael Freedman. Twinkling Star was returning from a let-up at Wyong on May 8 and showed a distinct dislike for the wet ground. After racing behind the leader, the daughter of Zoustar failed to run on in the straight and finish an eight length sixth behind Celtic Sin and Satin Sparkle. Fast Track (So You Think x Light Express) gets the job done on debut at @kemblaraces! ðŸ�†ðŸ�‡ In a thrilling finish, she held on to secure the win, with a perfectly timed ride by @TommyBerry21 🎯ðŸ'� Congratulations to her owners on this exciting victory! â€' O'Shea & Charlton Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) March 4, 2025 'That was a bit of joke because it was clearly worse than a Soft 6 when the race was run but because they didn't down grade the track before the first, I couldn't scratch her and she had to run. 'It was a bit of a waste of time.' Before her break, Twinkling Star battled away when a head second to Fast Track at Kembla before a third to Super Nui at Kembla. 'She's got decent enough ability to say she should be able to knock off a maiden,' he said. 'It's just a matter of trying to find a surface to suit which isn't easy at this time of year.' Stablemate Gorbachev kicked off his preparation with a fighting nose win from Alpine Ski after coming from last in the field of five at Gosford on March 15. He then stepped up to a Benchmark 64 at Wyong a month later where he battled away for a length sixth to Puerto Banus. 'I think the track that day was pretty soft under foot which he wasn't entirely happy on. 'He is another one we have trying to dodge the wet tracks and find a dry surface for him.' Aside from the prospective wet weather, Gorbachev looks very well placed in the Class 1 Handicap (1300m). 'It's a shame about the weather because this certainly does look a nice race for him,' he said. 'I think the 1300 metre Class 1 suits him well. At that level, with the right on the right surface, he would a decent chance.'
