Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman has joined the Lloyd Williams stable as director of training and racing.
Freedman, 56, who recently ended his brief partnership with trainer Graeme Rogerson, will oversee most aspects of the Williams operation at Macedon, north of Melbourne.
Williams son Nick said the appointment would have a special focus on mentoring and would provide valuable assistance to head trainer Robert Hickmott who won last year’s Melbourne Cup with the Williams-owned Green Moon.
“Lee brings enormous experience and knowledge to the team,” Nick Williams said.
“We have a young team at Macedon Lodge and Lee will be a great mentor to them.”
Williams said Hickmott will remain the head trainer and Jason Chandler retains his position as assistant trainer.
The latest episode in Freedman’s career follows the move last month of his brother and trainer Anthony from the family’s training complex at Rye on the Mornington Peninsula to Flemington.
It had been announced Lee Freedman would take over the Rye operation and run it as a pre-training and rehabilitation centre.
Freedman is best-known as the trainer of champion mare Makybe Diva for the final two of her three Melbourne Cup wins.
He also won three other Melbourne Cups with Tawriffic, Subzero and Doriemus and trained such champions as Super Impose, Alinghi and Miss Andretti.
He also trained four successive winners of the Golden Slipper from 1993 to 1996.
AAP TURF
