Trainer Will Freedman admits Cold Brew does a lot wrong in his races but keeps winning in spite of himself.
“I don’t know if the penny will ever drop with him, it certainly hasn’t dropped yet,” Freedman said.”But he obviously has good ability and he should be hard to beat again on Saturday.”
Cold Brew is aiming for his fifth win from his last six starts in Saturday’s Robrick Lodge Eremein Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick.
Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father, Richard, also accepted with Cold Brew in the Midway but the gelding was burdened with 63kg and drew barrier 13.
Instead, Cold Brew will be given his chance in the Eremein where he has 60kg and has drawn gate seven with top jockey Chad Schofield booked for the ride.
“Will Stanley did a really good job to win on Cold Brew in the Rosehill Midway last start but he is not an apprentice’s horse because he’s not easy to ride,” Freedman said.
“He’s trained on well, he loves wet tracks and he should get an heavier enough track for him on Saturday.”
Cold Brew won three races in succession to close out his campaign last winter and then had a change of ownership with Freedman recommending the Mustr Racing micro-syndication group purchase the gelding.
But Freedman admitted to becoming concerned he had given the new owners “a bum steer” when Cold Brew didn’t get back to the races for 10 months and his trial form earlier this preparation was poor.
“I convinced them (Mustr Racing) to buy Cold Brew but before he trialled last time in work, he was a bit sore and we had to turn him out again,” the trainer revealed.
“Then we finally got him back into work, he was trialling miserably. I was worried about how the horse was going but it is amazing how they know the difference between trials and races.
“Cold Brew came out and ran really well first-up then he won last start. There are not many horses that can win four from five.”
The Freedman stable also has the under-rated mare Horizons lining up in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1800m).
Horizons, raced by Dean and Adam Watt’s Dynamic Syndications, is coming off a game last start third over the Randwick 1800m course behind Alice Mae and Freedman believes she will get her chance on Saturday.
“I think we have struck the right race for Horizons,” Freedman said.
“With the rail out (9m), this mare is a natural on-pace runner so if she can find the lead and get her own way in front, she will be hard to run down.
“She got taken on last start and it just told the last 50m but with that run under her belt and staying at 1800m, she should prove hard to beat.”
