Twelve months after winning Caulfield’s famous Group 1 mile, the Toorak Handicap, Ballarat-based trainer Mitch Freedman’s toss-up between a return to that scene for Attrition or ‘the Sydney way’ has paid off with victory in the Hill Stakes at Rosehill.
Freedman’s decision to give the five-year-old a chance over the clockwise direction netted the $2 million Group 2 feature over 1900-metres – a race selected over the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Wednesday worth one-tenth of the prizemoney.
As was the case in the Toorak Handicap in 2023, Beau Mertens took the winning ride.
“He’s doubled his prizemoney in earnings,” Freedman said of the $1.1 million first prize.
“We weren’t sure weather to come here or wait until the Coongy but I’m glad that he has ticked that box over a bit further (than the mile).”
At the same level of prizemoney, the Listed Five Diamonds (1800) back at Rosehill on November 9 is the likely next outing and being further forward in the run has been a positive move after finishing fourth last start in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
“I think he was just a bit sick of chasing,” Freedman added.
“He’s a five-year-old stallion now and I think he was just a bit sick of chasing and those faster tempos, he was just sick of it all. We just wanted to flow forward today.”
“We wanted to do that last start but I just think it was just going to be all too much for him.
“We’ve always thought further than the mile was going to be his better trips but he’d been a bit weak to get there yet, so we bided our time.
“We’ve stuck it to him going into the Feehan at home with the work, and then we’ve just been able to train him nicely going into this run.”
Despite his group one-winning credentials a year ago, Attrition started at $26 with betting apps in the Hill Stakes and held off a late charge from the Chris Waller-trained Kovalica ($4.40) with $3.90 favourite Royal Patronage in third.
