Young trainer Mitchell Freedman beamed, saying ‘it’s what you do it for,’ as the tenacious Attrition wore down fellow war horse Lindermann to clinch his second title in the $2 million Hill Stakes.
Attrition, the victor of the Group 2 feature in 2024, had finished second to Lindermann 12 months ago. However, this year, the former emerged victorious once more at Rosehill on Saturday, reigniting their competitive rivalry.
In a dramatic photo finish, Attrition ($6), steered by Jamie Mott, managed to overhaul Nash Rawiller on Lindermann ($1.70 fav) in the closing stages, securing a narrow half-neck win. Eliyass ($9) finished a further three-quarters of a length adrift in third.
‘If there is any vision of me jumping up and down, I might win the vertical leap at the AFL draft if they want to put me in after that,’ a jubilant Freedman quipped.
‘It was obviously a really competitive race up there on speed. The first three in running were first three across the line. Nash rated his horse to perfection, Jamie Mott pulled out at the right time, and it was a good dual the last fifty metres. When they went past me, I could see him start to put his head in front and it’s such a good feeling. These are the things you soak up. It’s what you do it for, and we’ll certainly enjoy it.’
Freedman, who oversees a modest stable in Ballarat, Victoria, strategically prepared Attrition to make his seasonal debut in the Hill Stakes (1900m) at his fourth start, a plan he had implemented for the previous two renewals of the race.
The gelding has now accumulated five wins from his 33 starts, with an additional 10 top-three finishes, pushing his career prize money beyond $5.5 million after Saturday’s performance.
Freedman indicated that Attrition has been a remarkable horse for his stable and sees no reason why he couldn’t return next year to attempt a remarkable three-peat.
‘We’ll mark it in the calendar, mark it as the fourth-up run, and do our best,’ he said. ‘It’s not too many times he’s out of that weight-for-age level and he keeps showing up. He’s a beautiful, sound horse. He’s got the best temperament that you’ll ever come across and he’s a much loved member of our team, that’s for sure.’
With the Hill Stakes secured, punters might want to consider the betting sites available for future races.