The Freedman family produced three of the eight winners at Saturday’s Newcastle race day which was conducted under blue skies. The recently formed training partnership of Richard Freedman and his son William landed a double, with two lightly raced gallopers with bright futures.
The first of the stables winners was promising three-year-old filly Pavitra in the Neuro Alliance Maiden Plate (1860m). Bred and raised by the famous Kia Ora Stud at Scone, Pavitra faced the starter for the third time as she stepped up from 1400m to 1860m. Keagan Latham let the filly stride to the front, and she bolted in to win by 3 lengths. The winner has an American pedigree being sired by the USA’s Triple Crown winner American Pharoah from Gypsy Robin, an American mare.
Will Freedman was bullish about Pavitra’s future. “Even though it might have been a somewhat modest field, to beat older horses over the 1860m so commandingly is pleasing. It was a big test for Pavitra – if she didn’t run the 1860m we would have spelled her. Now that she has won over that trip and it looks like she may get further, we will probably look at the three-year-old staying races in the Spring. She could be an Oaks filly” Freedman said.
Pavitra’s stablemate Ang Pow resumed from a spell in which he had tie back surgery to win the Eight Recruitment Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1250m). Ang Pow has now had five starts for three wins and two placings. His four previous starts were all on country tracks and Will Freedman was impressed.
“The 1250m was always a query first up, even after two solid trials – and there was a drama at the start. It was a good first up effort, and we will give him plenty of time to get over the run. He will head to metropolitan grade now” Freedman said.
Will’s uncle, Michael was represented by Dundeel mare Prize Draw in the Seyon Virtual Reality Maiden Handicap (1400m). An eye-catching run on the track on August 6, the mare appreciated the extra 200m on Saturday and she raced away to win by 3 lengths. It was only Prize Draw’s third start, and she has a future.
James Cummings produced a promising filly in the Slattery Auctions & Valuations Maiden Plate (900m). Her name is Kin, and she clashed with another classy and well-performed filly from the Hawkes stable, Dashing Legend. The latter had finished second in the Group 2 Reisling in the Autumn, and she was an odds-on favourite. Kin had good Autumn form also and she gave the favourite a start and ran her down to win by a Short Head. Both fillies look to have plenty of talent.