Guineas target for Elliptical

THE Australian Guineas is the first target but the Freedman Racing camp wouldn’t be shy about taking on racing’s biggest names in the autumn with classy colt Elliptical.

Elliptical has only won a Sandown two-year-old contest in his six starts but the son of Dundeel went agonisingly close to two Group 1 wins in the spring.

Elliptical was beaten a head in Golden Mile’s Caulfield Guineas while Kiwi galloper Sharp ‘N’ Smart narrowly denied him victory in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.

But trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman set Elliptical a crucial test against the best horses in training in the Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington last November.

Elliptical passed that stern examination with a competitive effort behind the likes of Zaaki, Amanoe and Mo’unga in the $3m event.

Sam Freedman said the Champions Stakes effort served its purpose and left the $5m All-Star Mile as a possibility for the lightly raced talent.

“We were happy to test him against older horses in the spring when we ran him against Anamoe and those other horses at the end of his campaign,” Freedman said.

“He wasn’t beaten far and it was at the end of his preparation and it hardened him up a little bit for this campaign.

“The All-Star Mile is a possibility but the first target is the Australian Guineas then we’ll work it out from there, whether he goes up to Sydney or stays here.

“We’ll just be guided by the Guineas run.”

Elliptical finished fifth of six in a Mornington jumpout on January 18 but pleased the stable with his effort in his first public hitout this time in.

“He trialled the other day and trialled nicely but he’ll have another one at Balnarring on Wednesday,” Freedman said.

“Then we’ll start to map out his races.

“There’s a 1400m I think at Sandown in a couple of weeks and that’s where we’ll probably see him.”

TAB posted Elliptical as a $13 chance in early Australian Guineas betting while he is a $51 chance to win the All-Star Mile.