LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Freedman filly ready to cause Guineas upset
TRAINER Richard Freedman will happily play the role of spoiler if his filly Forbidden Love can gatecrash the Isotope and Away Game party in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on Saturday.
Isotope and Away Game have dominated talks for the 1400m Guineas since their memorable clash in the Gold Edition Plate at Doomben on December 12.
But Forbidden Love, who is prepared by Freedman and his brother Michael in Sydney, burst into calculations after a dominant Gosford Guineas (1200m) win on December 29.
“She’s a good filly and she seems to be in good form. I think 1400m is her right distance. I can see her running well,” Freedman said. “She just keeps improving, which is a good sign.
“I think that goes with the breed. Those All Too Hards as they turn three, they seem to improve a bit.”
Freedman stayed in Sydney while Michael headed to Queensland to oversee the finishing touches for the $2 million race at the Gold Coast.
“Someone had to stay back and run the stable and at the time we were contemplating it, the border was locked,” Freedman said.
“It wasn’t really an option for two of us to spend two weeks in the Hunter and then go to the sales for 10 days.”
Forbidden Love was set for the Guineas after a third in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes against older mares on Derby day at Flemington.
“She went to the paddock in Victoria and had a few weeks break down there,” Freedman said. “We always thought being a 1400m horse and Magic Millions, there’s a $2 million 1400m race, it’s too good to pass up.”
■ JAMES McDonald blew off the isolation cobwebs with a winner at Eagle Farm on Thursday as the Sydney jockey prepares to potentially become
the leading rider Magic Millions history.
McDonald has won seven Magic Millions features since 2013, including a double last year on Outback Barbie and Madam Rouge.
Of the feature races being run on Saturday’s $10 million card, McDonald, Corey Brown and Hugh Bowman have all won seven each.
McDonald shoots for his first win in the 2YO Classic when he rides She’s All Class.
He made the decision to get out of Sydney for a fortnight to ensure he was able to ride on the Coast. He said given the options he had at the time, it was an easy call to make.
“I had a good two-yearold, whether it was going to be the filly (She’s All Class) or the colt (Shaquero),” he said. in