Anthony Freedman is very happy with Lucas Cranach heading towards Saturday’s Australian Cup at Flemington but maintains that rival Americain is entitled to be favourite for the $1 million event.
There was just a nose between the pair when they crossed the line in the Melbourne Cup (3200m), the German import finishing third with the French import flashing home late for fourth.
“He should be favourite, Americain,” said Freedman who is chasing his first Group One win under his own name although he was his brother Lee’s right-hand man for his 123 Group One victories, the latest Speed Gifted in The Metropolitan at Randwick in 2009.
“He (Americain) meets us 4.5kg better for the Melbourne Cup.”
Freedman said Lucas Cranach had pleased the stable since his impressive first-up win in the Group Two Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 25, beating Cup rivals Illo, Manighar, Glass Harmonium, Southern Speed and Efficient.
“He had a nice gallop on Tuesday and that will probably be it for the week because he’s fit and ready, he’s only going from 1800 metres to 2000 metres,” the Rye-based trainer said.
“I don’t know whether he’s improved so much since, maybe he’s just a little bit better.
“But Americain is the best horse, his record says he’s the best horse and he’s the best in at the weights (under the weight-for-age conditions) and we’ll have to be at our best to beat him.”
After Wednesday’s barrier draw, when Lucas Cranach drew the inside and Americain the outside in the nine-horse field, the Freedman-trained horse took over as favourite, firming from $3.60 to $3 with TAB Sportsbet and remains at that price.
Americain has also come in, firming from $3.40 to $3.20.
The Bart Cummings-trained German import Illo is next at $8, Manighar at $8.50 with Glass Harmonium and Southern Speed at $10.
Steven Arnold, who rides Americain for the first time in his first appearance for trainer David Hayes, is obviously more than pleased to be aboard the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner.
“He’s in great order and I don’t think there’ll be any excuses,” he said.
Arnold is not perturbed about Americain drawing the outside barrier.
“He’s a horse who can adapt to the speed of a race. I’ve seen him race quite handy in races and also get back a bit,” he said.
“I think he can adapt to the speed of the race and the outside gate is not the end of the world.”
Americain, who has won 11 of his 28 starts, has raced at less than 2400m only five times for one win, on debut over 1400m as a two-year-old at Chantilly.
Lucas Cranach has won six of 12 starts from 1800m to 2400m.
AAP TURF
