Ahead of the Darby Munro Stakes, Anthony Freedman tempered expectations for Beskar, while dismissing the three-year-old’s “stupid odds” as unwarranted.

Drawing the second-widest price at $81, the gelding upended expectations by sitting handily and repelling the challenge of Agarwood ($19) and Caffe Florian ($12), who closed strongly.

“To be fair, he should never have been that. He did run third in a Group Three last start, so $80 is probably ridiculous,” Freedman said.

“It’s still a bit of a surprise.

“He’s a horse that’s got good talent. He does a lot wrong and makes a mess of a few races, but it all went (well) for him today.

“He ran third in the Kindergarten Stakes here last year, so maybe this works better for him, in Sydney.”

Beskar achieved third in the Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) on his second start, endured variable form in winter and spring, but showed sharpness lately with third to Pallaton in the Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last month.

Freedman always recognised the talent in the gelding, hampered by small setbacks, necessitating a learning curve in his preparation.

“He’s sound now, and we train him very differently,” Freedman said.

“We don’t do any work with him. It takes a while to work some horses out.

“He’s one of those horses who is never one hundred per cent. You get him as good as he can be and keep him happy and don’t work him.”

With victory in Saturday’s Darby Munro Stakes (1200m), Beskar eyes the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on April 11, as Freedman ponders next steps.

“I hadn’t looked that far. We will think about it,” he said.

Horses like Autumn Glow, successful 12 months back, highlight the quality of Darby Munro Stakes winners.

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