Mitch Freedman, the trainer, admitted that there were points last week where he questioned his choice to pass up a Group 1 race for his star sprinter, Skybird.
The $2 million Manikato Stakes, which had been considered as a potential second-up assignment for Skybird, did not ultimately unfold on the soft track that looked likely mid-week, allowing Jimmysstar to comfortably outclass his rivals.
In retrospect, Freedman was pleased he saved Skybird from a contest with that established galloper and is now looking forward to unleashing her in this Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. Heavy rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday, making a wet track a strong possibility.
“We were disappointed when the rain was coming last week and thought it might have been a wet track, but as it turned out they raced on a good track and the rail was out a long way,” Freedman commented.
“She’s going to get in there with a nice weight on Saturday and we like the set-up of going back to Flemington with her.”
The Gilgai Stakes, where Skybird will carry the 55kg limit weight, will mark her return to Flemington for the first time since her career-defining win on a Soft 7 surface in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) in February of the previous year.
“Injury, circumstance and a number of different things,” Freedman said when asked about the reasons for her absence from Flemington.
“But we’re looking forward to getting her back there. The 1200 is probably at the upper end of her preferred trip, but if she gets the right sort of run she’ll run it out strongly.”
Skybird heads into the Gilgai Stakes second-up from the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), where she raced closer to the pace than is her custom and battled on for sixth, 3-1/4 lengths behind My Gladiola. Freedman was pleased with her performance in an 850m Ararat jumpout win last Thursday.
“She was getting a bit gross on me at home and I couldn’t do too much more with her, so we just wanted to give her a stimulating piece of work and a trip away from home and it seems to have done the job,” he stated.
Skybird is the early favourite for the Gilgai Stakes, which also features Oakleigh Plate runner-up Hedged, Perth visitor Smooth Chino, and last year’s winner War Machine. Check out the latest betting markets for the race.
