Ballarat trainer Mitch Freedman says it is a balancing act whether to take Tatakai Uta to Flemington for a straight race or wait for something slightly weaker.
Freedman believes Tatakai Uta has the makings of being a city class performer but is concerned he may be taking the three-year-old to town too soon.
Tatakai Uta is down to run in the Rod Johnson Handicap (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday, but the presence of Sydney visitor Ice Kool is playing on Freedman’s mind.
“The Sydney visitor looks exceptionally good and looks like it does a lot of things right, so it will be very hard to beat if it does come down here,” Freedman said.
Tatakai Uta has raced just three times, finishing second in maiden company at Donald and Bendigo before registering his maiden win on the middle day of the three-day Swan Hill Carnival earlier in the month.
The gelding was sent out the $1.36 favourite and Freedman said Tatakai Uta would have given his supporters a few anxious moments before winning.
But that victory was timely, although Freedman does not want to undo all the hard work by coming to town too early.
“He’s a horse that has plenty of upside, but he’s just doing a couple of things wrong still,” Freedman said.
“He was a short-priced favourite at Swan Hill and he did a few things wrong and probably gave punters a few nervous moment, but he’s shown us enough ability, and I think he will be a horse that gets to city level, but whether that’s now or later down the track.
“We’re a little bit hesitant while he’s learning whether he needs to take that step to town, so whether it’s now or whether we should be aiming for something softer, we shall see.
“Having said that, horses that are progressive in that three-year-old grade, you can really see them leap to a new level, but it’s a balancing act how much you raise the bar and how much that might destroy his confidence.
“It’s a little bit tricky.”
