Freedman feels timing right with filly after team’s tough Golden Slipper run
After a roller-coaster ride to the Golden Slipper, Michael Freedman last week thought he was no chance to qualify a runner.
Pallaton and Apocalyptic had been near the top of betting after strong debuts, but they ended up in the paddock. Extractor and Valedictorian were others from the Freedman camp to fall short of the richest race for two-year-olds.
Marhoona (left) finishes a third of a length second to Tempted in the group 2 Reisling Stakes at Randwick on March 8.Credit: Getty Images
Marhoona was the “last hurrah” when she ran in the Riesling Stakes two weeks ago. She hit the front 200m from home in the Slipper qualifier, only to be swamped by Tempted, which is battling for favouritism in Saturday’s $5 million showpiece at Rosehill.
It left Freedman’s Snitzel filly 34th in the ballot and the Randwick trainer thinking she was a 50-50 chance last weekend to make the 16-horse field. She ended up 15th among acceptances.
“It was a nice surprise,” Freedman said. “This time last week I thought we were no chance, but I guess that’s two-year-old racing. Things can change pretty quickly, so it’s nice to get in and, hopefully, she has a good week.
“Last year James Harron’s horse [Espionage] just missed a run with prizemoney of around $150,000, and this filly has made it this year with $85,000, so it shows you where this year is at.”
Michael, the youngest of the four Freedman brothers who together trained four consecutive Slipper winners in the 1990s, said this was the most open edition of the Slipper he could remember.
“I think in years gone by there’s been one or two real standouts, and while the favourite [Wodeton] has drawn well and is probably a worthy favourite, there’s a couple of others with good winning form, and you can’t ask for more than that,” said Freedman, who also won with Stay Inside in 2021 with brother Richard.
“I can’t recall in recent times there being so many possibilities.”
