Skybird appears on track to chase Australia’s prestigious 1000-metre Group 1 double after impressing trainer Mitch Freedman with a strong trial effort at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday morning.

The five-year-old settled near the back of the field in a competitive 10-horse heat before unleashing a late run down the outside under minimal urging, finishing sixth, 5¼ lengths adrift of Miss Roumbini. Close behind the winner were Grahame Begg-trained mares Miraval Rose, Niance, and Magic Time, filling the minor placings.

This 900-metre trial marked Skybird’s first public appearance since her victory in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning on February 15, a performance that left Freedman more than satisfied. “She was super, she just sat back off the speed and joined in and was really good,” he said. “The last 100 (metres), we were really happy with that. It was exactly what we needed for where we’re at in the prep and it’s going to have us in good stead going forward heading towards the Moir first-up.”

The $750,000 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 6 and the Black Caviar Lightning remain Australia’s only Group 1 contests over 1000m. Skybird’s Lightning win came at the expense of Stretan Angel and Benedetta, although the run left her with a muscle injury that cut short her campaign.

Freedman praised the stable team’s efforts in her recovery. “The team have done a really good job with her, she’s been a lot of work to get that muscle right, but I think we’ve got it in good shape at the moment and the way she’s stretched out there today would suggest that she’s feeling pretty good about it all,” he said.

Beyond the Moir, which will mark her second start at The Valley after taking out the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) as a three-year-old, her future path remains open. “We’re hoping to string a bigger preparation together and what that looks like will be decided on how she goes in the Moir,” Freedman said. “We’re just looking forward to getting her back to raceday, we’ll wrap her up in cotton wool, and she’ll probably have another jump out between now and the Moir and maybe a little look around The Valley before she goes there on raceday again.”

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