The Freedmans are hoping the decision to bypass the Golden Slipper with Tiger Of Malay pays dividends when he lines up in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Having plundered the Golden Slipper with Stay Inside, Michael And Richard Freedman will turn their attention to capturing the second leg of the juvenile triple crown, this time with Tiger Of Malay.
Like Stay Inside, Tiger Of Malay is by fertility-challenged sire Extreme Choice and showed early talent to win the Kirkham Plate on debut in October.
His two autumn runs have both had merit, including a last-start second to Shaquero in the Pago Pago Stakes when he settled midfield and closed strongly to just miss.
The Freedmans considered lining him up in the Slipper but were concerned about the seven-day back up so they didn’t accept, although as it turned out, the race was delayed a week.
But co-trainer Michael Freedman remains comfortable with their decision to target the colt at Saturday’s Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
“At the time we had to make that decision we would have been backing him up a week after the Pago Pago and he had a pretty hard run on a very hard track that day,” Michael Freedman said.
“If the Slipper had of been two weeks after the Pago Pago it might have been more of a consideration but at the time, when we weighed everything up, we thought giving him the extra couple of weeks and aiming him at the Sires’ was probably the better way to go.”
Tiger Of Malay has subsequently won a tick-over barrier trial to help compensate for what will be almost a month between runs.
Freedman doesn’t think the extra time has done the colt any harm.
“I will let you know after Saturday, but he seems in good order,” Freedman said.
“He had a nice trial a week or two ago. Hughie trialled him that day and was pretty happy with how he felt.”
Golden Slipper runner-up Anamoe heads markets for the Sires’ Produce at $2.10 with filly Four Moves Ahead second pick at $5.50.
Tiger Of Malay is on the third line of betting as an $8.50 chance with Ladbrokes.
Market 💰: View the Odds for the Inglis Sires Produce Stakes
