Trainer Michael Freedman is optimistic his two runners can make their presence felt at Randwick.
An outstanding autumn highlighted by Marhoona’s Golden Slipper win can continue into the off-season for Michael Freedman as he prepares to saddle up two genuine chances at Randwick.
Heading into Friday’s Anzac Day meeting on the Kensington track, Freedman has produced 14 winners from his past 50 starters and his 2024-25 season strike rate is one of the best in Sydney.
He has a success rate of more than 19 per cent metropolitan winners to runners, and of the top 20 trainers, his statistics are bettered only by Bjorn Baker at 21.5 per cent.
“It has been terrific. The horses at all levels have been racing very consistently,” Freedman said.
“That’s all you can ask for as a trainer, that wherever you’re placing them, whether its country, provincial or Group class racing, that they can run consistently.
“We’ve had a really good autumn. Hopefully we can start to build again into the spring and get a few new babies up and going as well.”
On Saturday, Freedman will be represented by Ducasse in the Precise Air Handicap (1500m) and three-year-old Colophon in the NSW Bookmakers Co-Op Handicap (1400m).
Both are in great form, Ducasse coming off a third in the Doncaster Prelude (1500m) while Colphon was a last start winner at Kembla Grange by 5-1/2 lengths.
Ducasse has been scratched from a Listed race in Brisbane where he drew the outside gate in preference for Sydney where he is set to get his favoured rain-affected conditions.
“His run in the Doncaster Prelude was really good and he seems to have trained on well from there,” Freedman said.
“Obviously, Randwick is a track he seems to enjoy and the 1500 with a bit of give in the ground should suit. The good draw should also allow (apprentice) Zac (Wadick) to put him in a nice spot.”
Freedman had hoped to run Ducasse in the Doncaster Mile but he was an emergency and didn’t get a run.
He has since shifted his attention to next month’s Listed Scone Cup (1600m) as a campaign target.
“Once he didn’t get a run in the Doncaster there wasn’t much else for him,” he said.
“I had a think about which path we took and thought either here on Saturday or Brisbane on Saturday were good options and then make his final run for the prep a race like the Scone Cup, which is a Big Dance eligibility race.”
Colophon will need to make the step up to Saturday city company but Freedman says he has ability and expects him to be competitive, provided the soft 6 track doesn’t tip into the heavy range.
“While it was only a benchmark 64 last start and Saturday is a different sort of set up, he’s a horse I’ve always had a nice enough opinion of and he is still improving,” Freedman said.
“He may even earn himself a trip to Queensland for something if he can run well.”
