Michael Freedman is content with his decision to wait a week to kick off the spring campaign of Golden Slipper winner Marhoona as she prepares to return in the Heritage Stakes at Rosehill.
The filly was scratched from The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick last Saturday, taken out impressively by Joliestar, and Freedman said that after assessing race conditions and barriers he decided this week’s Listed assignment was a better option.
“When I had a look at the set-up of the race and the weight she was going to carry, she was only getting a kilo off Joliestar and the barrier was a little bit of a concern too,” Freedman said.
“We thought, we’ll just go against her own age group and hopefully onto the Roman Consul (Stakes) after that.
“I’m really happy with her. She worked great here last Tuesday (week) and it was really just deciding to wait and go to (this) week.”
Marhoona made rapid inroads at her initial preparation, graduating from a narrow win at Canterbury on debut in February to beat all but Tempted in the Reisling Stakes (1200m) before going one better in the Golden Slipper (1200m).
She is part of a strong band of three-year-olds for Freedman, who also has Tea Rose Stakes winner Apocalyptic and untapped filly Magenta Skies, the latter breaking her maiden at last week’s Newcastle Cup meeting to earn a shot at stakes company next start.
Bonny mare Manaal will fly the flag for the stable’s older brigade at Rosehill in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m) after bouncing back to her best with a last start victory in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m).
Freedman is keeping an open mind on her spring program with the Golden Eagle (1500m) among the races on the table.
“There are lots of good options for four-year-old mares here in the spring,” Freedman said.
“There’s The Invitation and being a four-year-old the Golden Eagle wouldn’t be out of the equation being 1500 (metres).”
Marhoona has drawn barrier four of 12 in the Heritage Stakes (1100m) with Manaal landing the same gate in the Golden Pendant.
