Gimcrack Stakes placegetter Ticket To Ride is showing all the right signs on the training track but co-trainer Michael Freedman knows her ultimate test will come on race day.
The filly resumes in Saturday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium in 14 Days Handicap (1000m) at Randwick, her first start since closing for third behind Every Rose in the Gimcrack.
Freedman says Ticket To Ride has enjoyed a faultless build-up but her looming clash with blue blooded colts Mount Fuji, Rulership and Mission River will give him a better barometer of her credentials.
“Obviously, she hasn’t been to the track for a few months now so it will be interesting to see where she lines up against a few others but I’m pretty happy with her,” Freedman said.
“Since October last year there has been a lot of nice two-year-olds step out, both fillies and colts, so tomorrow will hopefully give us a guide on where she sits.”
Tommy Berry rode Ticket To Ride at her only start but had already committed to the Snowden-trained Mount Fuji for Saturday’s race.
Brenton Avdulla has picked up the mount on the Freedman filly and while Berry is excited to partner $2.8 million colt Mount Fuji, he regards Ticket To Ride highly.
“There is a good chance I might have stuck with Ticket To Ride because I think she is a very smart filly,” Berry said.
“She gave me a good feel on debut and her trial was nice.
“She, for mine, is the one to beat because I know what she’s got there.”
Freedman, who trains alongside brother Richard, will saddle up two runners in the PFD Food Services Handicap (2000m), English import Mushaireb and Roman Son.
A last-start winner over 1550 metres on the Kensington track, Mushaireb gets the chance to prove he can extend to a middle distance.
“It will be a good test to get him up around that distance and we’re hoping the tempo of that sort of race might be better than if we kept him to a mile,” Freedman said.
The brothers also have Pumpkin Pie in the City Tatts Bushfire Appeal Handicap (1600m) with the mare bidding to break a winning drought stretching almost two years.
