Tropicus and Point Barrow will target the Oakleigh Plate in search of another Group 1 sprint win for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
The 1100m sprint on Saturday has been the autumn speed test in Melbourne for the handicappers and like last Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning winner Tentyris, both horses enter the Caulfield the race first-up.
Tropicus has not been sighted since running sixth to Giga Kick in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of Melbourne Cup week, while Point Barrow has not been sighted since taking out the Group 3 Red Roses Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Oaks Day.
Sam Freedman said both sprinters had had the ideal preparation for Saturday’s return, but each has a different racing pattern to their stablemate.
Point Barrow enters Saturday’s race with two jump-outs under the belt, the most recent at Balnarring on January 28 when ridden by Jamie Melham who has the ride at Caulfield for the first time under race conditions.
“She’s had a great prep so far,” Freedman said.
“She’s ready to run a really good race and just needs a bit of luck.
“She’s a bit like Tentyris, she sits back and has that powerful finish, and hopefully it’s a similar result.”
Tropicus won his first jump-out at Mornington last month before finishing second, just in front of Tentyris, also at Mornington on January 22.
Freedman said the Oakleigh Plate was a nice option for Tropicus with his liking for Caulfield and the 1100m course.
Two starts back he led until the shadows before Giga Kick claimed him in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in October.
“He’s got a great Caulfield record, and 1100 metres first-up suits him,” Freedman said.
“Tactically for him, it’s better as he’ll be on the speed, but I just don’t know what weight he’ll get.
“I thought he might get 52 (kilos) in a normal year, but it looks like he might be up around the 56 mark which will mark it a hard weight for him to carry, but he’ll take luck out of it by being up there.”
