Tiger back on track
MICHAEL Freedman remembers bringing the great Mahogany to Queensland as a two-year-old almost 30 years ago, now the trainer is looking to set Tiger Of Malay on a similar path when he kicks off in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes on Saturday.
The Freedmans have long been regarded as being masters with juvenile horses and their victory with Stay Inside in the Golden Slipper earlier this year reinforced that.
Freedman said a trip to Queensland could be the making of some horses because two-year-olds often relished the warmer weather and sunlight on their backs.
“Going back in the day, when we were based in Melbourne, we had a lot of nice horses young and old go up there and run well,” he said.
“I can remember taking Mahogany up there as a twoyear-old. That’s showing my age a bit.
“I think that trip away at this time of the year to Brisbane, to the warmer climate, really does them good.
“Apart from going up there and trying to win some nice races, I think it is good for their future as well.”
After a whirlwind few years in which he trained in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and Australia again, Freedman, who trains in partnership with his brother Richard, said he was finally settled in Sydney.
“It is the first time in a while we feel very settled,” he said. “We came back from Singapore and then we were only here for 18 months and got the invite to go to Hong Kong before coming back here after two years.”
Following his debut win in October, Tiger Of Malay has endured a nightmare run with barriers, capped off by a tough run in the Group 1 Sires Produce (1400m) a month ago.
Freedman is hoping the bad luck is now behind him after attempting to “freshen up” the colt with a drop back to 1200m.
“He is one that has been one of our better (two-yearolds) right from the get-go. He just hasn’t had much luck with barriers at all,” he said.
“He drew wide first-up and put in a great run, then drew wide in his second one in the Pago Pago and ran a blinder, then drew outside in the Sires.”