Sydney set-up out to evolve in a quiet way for Anthony and Sam Freedman
Rarely – if ever – the types to be overly spruiking themselves, Anthony and Sam Freedman are taking the conservative approach to begin in with the early stages of their new stable venture in Sydney, but they hope to make an impression with their juveniles at Randwick on Saturday.
“There’s not a huge appetite to grow the stable in Sydney beyond the 24 boxes we have at the moment,” Sam – who is running the established Victorian operation while father Anthony has made the move north – told Sky Sports Radio.
“We just want to get our feet on the ground and for Anthony, he was really keen to move there and look after a smaller team of horses and have that attention to detail.
“It is one thing to have a satellite stable but another to have the trainer based in that location.”
Debutant Neilsen Park, who was a $650,000 purchase from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, lines up in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) and the colt by Zoustar has the training team keen to see him progress.
“He is a really nice horse and we’ve always liked him,” he said.
“We trialled him down the Flemington straight a few weeks ago with blinkers on and he was caught on a limb getting lost and he was very raw.
“His first jump out at Balnarring, he jumped well and led but his last trial in Sydney was his best of the preparation so far but he has just been a slow learner.”
Neilsen Park is rated a $34 chance with betting sites for the Skyline Stakes with the unbeaten in three starts, Shaggy, the $2.20 favourite.
Two Freedman fillies line up in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes with race experience.
Inkaruna debuted with narrow win at Sandown on February 1 in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m), while remains a maiden after running in black-type races in Melbourne and Sydney in four starts.
“Both fillies have had nice preps so far and Inkaruna had a tick-over trial last week,” Sam added.
“She’s an uncomplicated filly and the form has been good with Tentyris who finished behind her at Sandown then ran second in the Blue Diamond.
“This is a step up but she should run well, and Price Tag was exposed much of the way in her last start three and four wide but she still was there at the furlong and was entitled to get run down.”
The Sweet Embrace delivers a hot form outlook towards the $5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) on March 22 with Inglis Millennium (1100m) quinella Rivellino and Within The Law lining up together with Listed Lonhro Plate (1000m) winner Bellazaine.
