Sam Freedman said Place Du Carrousel could run in the group 2 Apollo Stakes next Saturday at Randwick and Henlein, which was second in the group 1 Spring Champion Stakes there in October, may return to Sydney this autumn.
This Saturday, Price Tag will look to grab the first feature win for the combination in Sydney since the satellite stable move. The $3.60 Sportsbet favourite has come to Sydney off a first-up second to My Gladiola at Sandown in the group 3 Blue Diamond Preview for fillies (1000m). The $600,000 daughter of Zoustar and Humma Humma was third and fourth at stakes level in the spring at Flemington. Tyler Schiller has the ride on Saturday.
“She’s had a good build-up, she ran a nice race first-up behind a pretty smart filly, My Gladiola,” Freedman said. “I thought she might have felt the pinch a little bit late in that race. It was a tough 1000, so she’s tightened up really well. She’s handled the trip up to Sydney nicely, and she worked that way of going on Tuesday morning.
“Tyler had a gallop on her, and he was really happy, so it’s all been pretty positive. We had him down here as well to ride her, obviously with this race in mind. He was really happy with what he felt, and he actually thought she might be better going this [Sydney] direction, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out.”
Price Tag has remained favourite despite a draw in 11, which will be nine of 16 with all emergencies out.
Loading
“She’s pretty adaptable,” Freedman said. “Tyler felt she might be better with a bit of room as well. But with two-year-olds, we probably won’t tie him down with too many instructions. Just keep her in a rhythm, a bit of room at the right time and she should be hitting the line very hard.”
The stable also have $61 chance Bubion in the race from gate three with apprentice Zac Waddick aboard. She was eighth in the Blue Diamond Preview.
“She might have felt the pinch a little bit first-up as well,” he said. “We’ve been keen to see her in the Sydney direction. She might not be completely comfortable the Melbourne way, so I’ll think she’ll run above her odds.”
The Freedmans have a strong hand in the sixth with Midwest ($8.50) and Godolphin-owned Austmarr ($3.50).
“Austmarr has come back from a bit of a lay-off and has trialled up nicely twice just behind Isthmus,” Sam said. “She’s a pretty smart mare, and she seems to be coming up very well this prep.
“Midwest will be ridden very positively. He’s had a couple of runs and was very good the other day at Sandown. There’s a lot of horses resuming, but he’s very fit and he’ll certainly make it a test.”
