While discussions might have taken place about Tentyris running in The Everest, Anthony and Sam Freedman and the Godolphin team did not lose focus on the colt’s Grand Final.
The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, considered the stallion-making race for sprinting three-year-olds in the spring, is the focus of the Freedman stable and Godolphin.
Instead of heading to The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, Tentyris will run in the Gothic Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield instead.
The Listed race at set-weights and penalties is seen as the right option to have Tentyris at his peak for the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 1.
“His Grand Final is the Coolmore,” Sam Freedman said.
“We’ve left the opportunity there to back up into the Champions Sprint on the last day of Cup week should his form warrant to do that.
“There had been discussions around The Everest, but it was felt we would save him for the older horses on the last day rather than before his Grand Final.”
A brilliant two-year-old, Tentyris won twice in his juvenile year, taking out the Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in March in the lead-up to the Golden Slipper later that month.
Unfortunately, a stress fracture ruled him out of contesting the Slipper.
“He had a stress fracture behind,” Freedman said.
“They’re not uncommon. It would have been nicer if it was after the Slipper than after the Todman.
“He did all his rehab and everything and there’s been no need to do anything different.
“He’s moving well and ready to go.”
Tentyris had his first run back from that injury setback, finishing third to McGaw, an opponent on Saturday, in the Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on October 4.
Freedman said Tentyris had improved significantly from that outing.
“He’s improving into his prep,” Freedman said.
“He’s probably not fully screwed down but he’s more forward than what he was for the Danehill.
“I thought the Danehill was a good run. He needed it. The last 50 metres, he was feeling the pinch.
“He’d had a long lay-off, he had two trials, and he should improve into this weekend and then he should improve again in a fortnight.”
