‘If not now, when?’: Freedman throws Journeyman into Hobartville

Trainer Will Freedman asked himself ”if not now, when?”, before entering brilliant maiden winner Journeyman for Saturday’s Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill.

It was no surprise to the Freedman camp when Journeyman exploded to victory on debut at Warwick Farm at the end of last month.

However, the win put them in no man’s land with Journeyman for the autumn.

“It was an Inglis bonus race [with $100,000 available to Journeyman, being an Inglis graduate], so we targeted it with him, but in terms of a race like the Hobartville, it didn’t really work,”  Freedman said.

“He was ready to go a few weeks earlier, but we waited and got a pay day.”

“We knew he was good, but horses don’t run sectionals like he did on debut.”

“You would have ideally liked to have another start before taking on the best three-year-olds around.”

The Hobartville sees the return of Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy and Spring Champion Stakes winner Attica, while Ninja, Napoleonic, Wodeton and Shangri La Boy bring Group-winning form.

It’s massive company to keep for a maiden winner at his second start.

“We think he is something a bit special and when we looked at the program, it was a case of if not now, when?” Freedman said.

“We are going to find where he fits against these horse and if he is not up to them now, I’m sure he will eventually be racing against these horses.”

“It gives us the ability to step back and give him more experience if he fails, but I‘m confident he will not disgrace himself.”

“We have got race fitness on the good ones, and I think he is going to enjoy the pressure of stepping up in company and the extra trip.”

Journeyman has been backed from $15 to $9 in pre-post betting, which has established Magic Millions Guineas runner-up Ninja as the $3 favourite in front of Autumn Boy at $3.50 and Napoleonic at $4.