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Trainer Sam Freedman says the stable’s best chance of claiming a key race over the upcoming three-day Caulfield carnival comes in the form of Elliptical.
The Dundeel colt will step out to the mile for the first time in this Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas where he will battle it out with some of the country’s most promising three-year-olds.
Elliptical has had three career starts to date, winning on debut at Sandown over 1400m in June before running fourth at Flemington behind Berkeley Square on September 10 and third behind Bank Maur, again at Sandown last start.
Freedman, who trains in partnership with father Anthony, believes Elliptical is a strong winning chance in the 2022 Guineas, just like Super Seth who took out the 2019 edition.
“I think he can win this year’s (Guineas), yeah,” he said on SEN Track’s Giddy Up with Gareth Hall.
“It’s a very even year and a lot of it will come down to what they draw, how the track plays and the run they get in transit.
“The positive with our horse is, I know we rode him quietly last time out, but he’s really a horse that can position up wherever you want with him.
“He obviously raced up near the speed at his first start. Both runs this time, consciously we’ve been looking to get cover on him, switch him off and get him to hit the line.
“We’ve done similar with a horse like Super Seth early in his campaign to head towards the Guineas.
“If he drew a gate on Saturday, we could certainly position up a lot closer with him.”
Freedman added: “Elliptical will be our best chance at a big one for the Caulfield carnival.”
Elliptical is rated a $14 Guineas chance with Sportsbet.
Reigning Blue Diamond champion Daumier was embarking on a Guineas preparation, but the stable has opted to keep him to a shorter trip.
Freedman says the Epaulette colt will tackle the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) on Wednesday week after fading to finish ninth in the Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 24.
“He’s going to run in the Blue Sapphire,” Freedman added.
“We just felt he didn’t run the 1400 out all that strongly in the Golden Rose and he was similar in Sydney as a two-year-old when he stepped out to the 1400 there as well.
“That was always going to be a line in the sand race to decide whether we were freshening up or stepping out in trip.
“With a lot of feedback from Mark and the team, we feel he’s much better at six furlongs.”
Other key Freedman runners Sam provided an update on included:
Sinawann will be aimed at 1400 races before stretching out to a mile.
Argentia will head to a mares race on Caulfield Cup day.
Realm Of Flowers is being set for the Melbourne Cup where two miles at Flemington will be “right up her alley”.
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