The gelding will take his place in Saturday’s Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm where the winner will be granted a ballot exemption from the Group 1 Stradbroke.
Fashion Legend heads there off a slightly disappointing effort in the Takeover Target Stakes where he finished eighth and just over 3-1/2 lengths from winner Think About It to continue a plain first-up record.
“It was less than we’d expected because we’d thought he was more forward,” Will Freedman said.
“A little bit of that is our training style as well. We don’t usually have horses ready to win first-up, they probably enjoy having a run under their belt.
“When you have a horse that is probably prone to needing a first run themselves naturally, you compound that with the fact we don’t push them too far for their first-up run, and you have a perfect storm where they’re going to have a bit of a flat run first-up.
“We’re not too concerned at this point, but we do want to see him bounce back on Saturday.”
While Fashion Legend has an average first-up record, he is unbeaten in two second-up runs and is proven over Saturday’s 1400m journey having downed Fred Best Classic favourite Yellow Brick in the Magic Millions Guineas in January.
He overcame barrier 14 of 15 that day and again has a sticky gate in 11 of 17 but Freedman is looking on the bright side.
“He likes to dictate himself when he starts rolling and getting to his top,” Freedman said.
“At least he’s going to have plenty of room and there’s speed outside him as well.
“Hopefully we can get into a three-wide cover line and he can peel out and have his chance.”
Fashion Legend is a $26 chance for the Fred Best Classic and $34 for the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 10, while longer-term the team has Golden Eagle ambitions.
Freedman is also looking for a form rebound from Group 3 winning mare Juan Diva in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) in a run likely to determine her immediate future.
“We’re expecting some improvement and if that happens she’ll keep going, if it doesn’t she’ll be a very valuable broodmare proposition for Trelawney Stud,” he said.
