The Anthony Freedman stable believes honest sprinter First Command is close to the top of his game for his crack at Saturday’s Kensington Stakes at Flemington.
The Commands six-year-old has had his share of problems during his career but has still managed to win nine races with six other placings and more than $660,000 in prize money from 23 starts.
The gelding suffered a check ligament injury when running fifth to Eagle Falls in the 2009 Group Two Salinger Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
He had won seven of his nine starts before that including the Group Two Caulfield Sprint (1100m).
“Physically he is pretty good at the moment. It takes a long time to get their confidence back after those sort of injuries but he’s back near as good as he can be,” Freedman said.
First Command has won two races since that injury, the latest the Listed LT Cleary Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in January last year after which he was runner-up to multiple Group One winner Mufhasa in the Group One Telegraph Hcp (1200m) at Trentham.
But he was back in the wars when last to Eagle Falls in the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield last February after which he had a wind operation.
First Command had three runs last spring including a second to Amaethon in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in September but was sent for a spell after picking up a virus.
He resumed with a close third to Chasm in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 7 when ridden by Jamie Mott who has been replaced by Steven Arnold on Saturday.
Arnold won the race last year on Grand Duels who is topweight with 59kg under the set weights plus penalties conditions of the Listed event and will be ridden by Billy Egan.
“He’s got the blinkers on again tomorrow. We had them on him in a past preparation but didn’t want to use them on him last start when he was first-up over 1200 metres,” Freedman said of First Command.
“He looks well suited back at the 1000 metres as six of his wins have been at either 1000 or 1100 metres and he drops a kilo on his last run.”
Freedman indicated the stable wouldn’t try to fly too high with him in the coming weeks.
“He’s a Group Three horse, that’s about his level,” he said.
Three-year-old colt Decircles has taken over as outright favourite after being backed in from $9 to $5 with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Weekend Special at $6, First Command ($6.50), General Truce ($8) with Canali at $8.50 and Obsidian Dragon at $9.
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