Co-trainer Will Freedman has described On The Lead as a tease but a horse that continues to race in good form.
The Richard and Will Freedman -trained sprinter will be having his fourth Melbourne start for the campaign when he lines up in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Freedman said with Blake Shinn now having had the experience of partnering On The Lead, the five-year-old can break through for his second Melbourne win of the campaign.
On The Lead scored at Sandown in January and backed up later that month finishing second to Star Patrol in the Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m) on January 26.
At his most recent outing, On The Lead finished second to Kallos over 1000m on March 4.
Following that performance, Shinn told Freedman that if he had ridden On The Lead before, it may have been a different result.
“We’re fortunate to have engaged one of the top riders in Blake Shinn and he’s going to have to do the job,” Freedman said.
“Respectfully, he said when he came off last time that if he’d ridden the horse before, he would have almost won the race.
“He’s a horse who gives you no feel when he’s running up the straight and then he takes you by surprise with the sort of speeds he can get up to once he’s in full flight.
“Hopefully, we can sit a little bit closer this time, he can put himself in the race a bit earlier and get that next win because he’s been due a black-type win for a while now.”
As he did last time when racing up the straight at Flemington, On The Lead has drawn an inside barrier, something Freedman was not overly happy with.
“You always want to draw inside barriers unless you’re at Flemington up the straight and we keep drawing inside at Flemington up the straight,” Freedman said.
On The Lead remained in Melbourne following his latest run where he has been stable with Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Freedman said the gelding has thrived.
“The straight suits him and so does getting on the Melbourne leg,” Freedman said.