The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained duo of Forbidden Love and Tiger Of Malay both resume in this weekend’s Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.
She was a $150,000 yearling purchase who has so far earned over $1 million, and the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Forbidden Love will be looking to add to that tally when she resumes in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Already a Group 1 Surround Stakes winner in her own right, the All Too Hard mare showed she has come back in good order with a close-up second behind champion sprinter Nature Strip in a Rosehill trial last week. Co-trainer Richard Freedman believes she is ready to rumble this weekend.
“She’s enjoyed the wet weather which keeps the tracks nice and soft for her,” Freedman said.
“She’s in as good nick as we’ve ever had her in, she looks great.
“She trialled well the other day and I think if she gets the breaks her way she’ll run a very good race.”
The four-year-old will have plenty of admirers from breeders post her racing career, adding even more money to the pockets of her owners.
“She’s probably a very valuable broodmare prospect too,” Freedman said.
“She’s a Group 1 winner and she’s out of a stakes-placed mare, so she’s got a bit of black type.”
The Randwick and Rosehill based conditioners also have their Group 2 winning three-year-old Tiger Of Malay resuming in the $200,000 feature, and Freedman is hopeful his Extreme Choice colt can take the next steps this time in.
“He’s come back in good order, but he’s got to go to that next level now,” Freedman said.
“It gets harder every preparation for these horses that are into their more mature three-year-old season and then they’ve got to get to their four-year-old season, which is a huge leap.
“But he’s in great condition and he never really runs a bad race.”
Being a winner of the $1 million Sires Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm, Tiger Of Malay is another who may have some value after his race days are done.
Team Freedman also saddles up Queen Of The Ball in the $160,000 Group 3 Widden Stakes, with the two-year-old filly impressing her trainer on debut. The daughter of I Am Invincible was a close-up second behind Godolphin’s Ojai in the Kirkham Plate last October.
“She makes another step-up and she could be competitive.
“I think the form around her says she is right there with a chance.
Their final representative will be Ulysses who strips fitter second-up in the Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1400m. The Dawn Approach gelding has done a handy job for connections with five wins and eight placings from 23 outings, and over $260,000 in earnings.
“He’s a tough old fella, he needed that first run,” Freedman said.
“I thought he ran on quite nicely the other day and he’s in a race that’s about his grade. He’ll be competitive as always.”