Had fate not intervened, Sam Freedman the team who race Ain’Tnodeeldun were hopeful the four-year-old might have been one of Australia’s top gallopers by now.
Freedman and his co-trainer father Anthony bypassed what looked a highly-winnable 2020 Victoria Derby, for which the son of Dundeel was once favourite, with an eye to the future and then knocked back huge offers from Hong Kong.
Almost 16 months on, merely having him on the cusp of a return to the races is an achievement given he suffered what Freedman described as ‘basically a fractured pelvis’.
The entire showed he was almost ready to do with that with a sixth placing in a slick 990-metre Cranbourne trial won by Forgot You on Monday morning.
But it remains hard for the Freedmans to lament what might have been.
“We were doing everything right by him, but they still find a way to have something go wrong,” Freedman said.
“He’s had a full 12 months’ rehab and it’s just been a process with him. He’s been in and out of work, on the treadmill and water walker, that sort of stuff for the whole time and finally now he’s able to get the races.
“To the horse’s credit, he’s been through a lot and it’s pretty amazing that he is getting back to the races.”
Ain’tnodeeldun has not started since winning at Listed level over 1800m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day 2020, which followed a Listed Hill Smith Stakes (1800m) win in Adelaide.
Damian Lane was aboard for the latter win and resumed his spot in the saddle on Monday, which followed a followed a 900m jumpout at Mornington on January 27.
“He’s had two trials, so he’ll probably have another one next week and then we will look to go to the races but Damian Lane knows him well and thought he was a lot sharper,” Freedman said.
“He seems to be coming up really well, but there are no plans. If he needs another break after his next trial or first run, whatever time the horse need, we’ll give him.
“We don’t have any plans or a race in mind. He’s going to take a couple of runs to start I would imagine. He’s going to be a bit ring rusty.”