Fresh from Attrition’s Hill Stakes heroics, Mitchell Freedman has his sights set on another harbour city raid, this time with high-class sprinter Skybird.
Attrition captured the Rosehill feature for the second time last weekend, downing warhorse Lindermann, and on Saturday stablemate Skybird will get her chance to shine in the $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
While the mare has drawn wide in barrier 18, she is set to strike a rain-affected track with conditions rated a heavy 8 on Wednesday following 66mm of rain in the preceding 24-hour period, and further showers predicted.
Skybird was a last start winner of the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) on similar ground at Flemington and finished a length third behind Everest contenders Joliestar and Giga Kick on a wet track in the T J Smith Stakes (1200m) earlier this year.
Both she and Attrition have been wonderful advertisements for Freedman, with Attrition banking over $4.3 million in 33 starts, while Skybird’s prizemoney will go past $2 million if she finishes in the top two at Randwick.
“It’s a good ride to be on at the moment with these two horses, that’s for sure,” Freedman said.
“With a small team in Ballarat and my team around me, we punch well above our weight.”
Freedman will keep a close eye on track conditions as the week progresses before making a final decision on whether Skybird takes her place, with the mare’s major goal next month’s Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
However, he has been rapt with how she’s done since her Gilgai win on October 3, and notably Ben Melham has been booked for the Sydney Stakes ride after partnering the mare at her past two starts.
“She couldn’t be better. She’s really holding her form and really sound at the moment,” Freedman said.
A bumper field of 16 plus four emergencies have been paid up for the Sydney Stakes (1200m) and in a wide open market, Overpass and Charm Stone are equal $7 favourites with Skybird high in commission as an $8.50 chance.
