Miss Freelove capitalised on favourable race conditions to secure a smart win at Canterbury, but trainer Peter Snowden believes the two-year-old filly has talent that extends beyond a soft lead.
With Kerrin McEvoy expertly controlling the tempo from the front, Miss Freelove ($2.60 betting fav) dictated throughout the Ole Kirk @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1100m), sprinting away in the straight to score by 2-1/4 lengths over Beechworth ($8.50).
“Watching the race, coming to the corner I thought, if she doesn’t find something here we’re in a little bit of trouble because she had such a soft lead,” Snowden said.
“She quickened nicely and Kerrin rode her and rated her well and it was good to see her win the way she did.”
The filly had finished third on debut at Warwick Farm, beaten narrowly, and McEvoy said she handled Wednesday’s heavy track with maturity.
“Last time she hit the front and wandered a little bit. She didn’t really know how to flatten out,” McEvoy said. “But today she was much better in that regard and she did enjoy that ground.”
Snowden is confident the daughter of Tassort has further upside this preparation.
“I have always liked her. She is by a great stallion doing a great job, they just keep on improving,” he said. “How far we go this prep will be decided by how she pulls up but I feel there is another good run in her.”
Later on the card, Big Red Tequila charged home from last to win the Drinkwise Plate (1100m) in impressive fashion.
Trainer Joe Pride said the filly had excuses at her Wyong debut when finishing third and felt confident stepping her up to city grade.
“She was pretty unlucky (at Wyong). She made a meal of the start and got caught up but she got to the line really well so I wasn’t afraid to bring her into town,” he said.
“She may have been flattered a bit there by the wet track because I suspected she would get through it. But it was a good win and good start to her career.”
Pride believes the daughter of Shamus Award has significant scope to develop.
“It’s a good result with the filly and I’m sure she is going places because she’s got a lot of upside to her,” he said.
