A trip to Horsham for a barrier trial has got the program of Attrition back on track after a first-up unplaced effort at Caulfield.
Attrition was the meat in the sandwich and suffered severe interference when last in the Group 2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) on August 16, but trainer Mitchell Freedman has since taken the entire back to the trials looking for a confidence boost.
With the trip to Horsham behind and another gallop during the week at The Valley, Attrition is ready to head back to the races for the So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
“I was rapt with the work he did at Horsham,” Freedman said.
“Alana Kelly partnered him there. She said he was a little hesitant to go into a gap, but when she gave him a squeeze he quickened into it.
“That was pleasing to see, so he’s had that good experience since Caulfield where he was the meat in the sandwich, but he’s bounced through it.
“The interference was quite significant, so it was good to see him come through it well.
“We’re looking forward to Saturday and he’s going to be better the further he gets out in trip.”
That trial performance and another forward showing will be enough to give Freedman confidence the spring program for Attrition is back on track.
The Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill on October 11, a race that Attrition won last year and which again carries $2 million in prize money, is again high on Freedman’s agenda.
“He’s got a program set in place and there are a few little left and right turns we can take along the way, but the Hill Stakes, the race he won last year, has a target around it,” Freedman said.
“He races well up there and that distance seems to suit him well.
“I think it might have been the one that got away from a few people last year, so it might be a bit stronger this year, but we’ll go and take our chance again.”
