Trainer Anthony Freedman has Group One aspirations for talented gelding Mr Sneaky who has returned from a spell with a dominant win at Caulfield.
Mr Sneaky ($9) made it five wins from 12 starts, and three-straight, with his 2-1/2 length victory over Theanswermyfriend ($5) first-up in Saturday’s Benchmark 78 (1200m).
The four-year-old Mr Sneaky is being aimed at a Group One handicap at the same track next month.
Handsome Thief ($6) was another length away third.
“He’s a lovely horse,” Freedman said.
The trainer said the plan was for Mr Sneaky to have his next start at Flemington in two weeks in either the Group Two Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) or a Listed 1400m race.
“And then all going to plan he will come back here for the Rupert Clarke Stakes,” Freedman said.
“We’ve targeted that race.”
The Group One Sir Rupert Clarke (1400m) is on October 1.
Freedman was training in partnership with his brother Lee over the past couple of seasons but is now back training in his own right after his brother was granted a trainers’ licence and stables in Singapore.
The training partnership was dissolved this week, with Mr Sneaky giving Freedman the first winner since.
