The Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury has been a handy career launchpad for a number of horses and trainer Michael Freedman is hoping Aerodrome can join that list.
The son of Ole Kirk made an impressive debut earlier this month when wearing down subsequent Saturday city placegetter Hidden Motive in a 1200m assignment at Warwick Farm, the pair streeting the rest of the field by almost five lengths.
Freedman, who won this year’s Golden Slipper with Marhoona, believes Aerodrome is above average and provided he performs to expectations in the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) next Saturday the trainer is keen to press on to the winter carnival races in Queensland.
“I thought his first-up effort was terrific and he has improved off the back of that,” Freedman said.
“He will head to the Clarendon at Hawkesbury and if he can put in a good performance there, he will earn himself a trip to Queensland for something.
“A run over 1400 on Saturday will give us a much better idea (of his distance range) and if he is able to perform there, we could look at going up for races like the Sires’ Produce and J J (Atkins) potentially.”
The Clarendon Stakes doesn’t offer black-type status but its position between the Sydney and Brisbane carnivals offers an opportunity for the late blooming two-year-olds to demonstrate their wares.
Zoustar is its most well-known winner, claiming the race at his second start in 2013 before going on to snare the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) and adding two Group 1 wins the following spring before embarking on a successful career at stud.
Subsequent stakes winner Graff took it out in 2018 while Godolphin’s good mare Zardozi put her name on the honour roll in 2023, six months before triumphing in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m).
Hawkesbury’s stand-alone Saturday program has become a popular fixture on the racing calendar boasting four stakes races, headlined by the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) which carries Big Dance eligibility.
