Michael Freedman has several paths to consider for promising three-year-old Ninja, with hopes the gelding can progress towards a Magic Millions campaign.
Ninja has won two of his first three starts, including a remarkable 11-length maiden demolition at Kembla Grange followed by a determined victory in Benchmark 72 grade. Freedman will now weigh up Sydney and Brisbane options for Saturday.
The gelding holds a nomination for another Benchmark 72 at Rosehill but is also under consideration for Doomben’s Pierata Plate, a set-weights feature for three-year-olds, with final decisions to be made after acceptances.
Both possible assignments are run over 1200m and offer $160,000 in prizemoney.
“I just want to see the acceptances tomorrow first, so I’m not really sure,” Freedman said.
“Either up there or here, it’ll just depend on fields and barriers.”
Having raced exclusively on wet tracks so far, Ninja trialled strongly on firm footing at Randwick over 1050m, giving Freedman added confidence the gelding can handle all conditions as he eyes a rise to stakes grade.
“I’ve seen enough of him on dry tracks. His trials this time back have both been on pretty firm ground, he seems pretty adept on all conditions,” Freedman said.
“We’ll sort of put him on a pathway perhaps towards a Magic Millions Guineas.
“See how he comes up, but that’s sort of been a bit of a long-term program for him.”
Extreme heat is forecast in Sydney this weekend, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees prompting Racing NSW to consider shifting the meeting to Sunday.
“Should the current forecast remain in place (partly cloudy, 41 deg) it is likely the meeting will be pushed back a day and run Sunday,” a statement on X said.
The $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas is the ideal third-up target, with Saturday’s performance set to determine Ninja’s path.
“If you went up there and raced Saturday, you may stay on and then run in a Vo Rogue (Plate) or something,” Freedman noted.
“Second up and then a fortnight into the Magic Millions, that’s the type of program we’ll be having a look at.
“But if we drew poorly in both on the weekend, then we’ve obviously got the option of waiting and going to Wyong next week in that three-and four-year-old race.”
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