The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable has spring ambitions with debut Sandown winner Elliptical.
Success in the Tile Importer Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday, the first day of winter, may not be the springboard into spring that many look for, but Sam Freedman and connections of the two-year-old are dreaming of the Caulfield Guineas with the son of Dundeel.
Under the guidance of Mark Zahra, Elliptical ($4.60) scored a three-quarter length win from Dashing ($6) with Concentric ($26) a short-half-head away third.
“You dream of going to a Caulfield Guineas with a horse like him with his pedigree and certainly we can target that sort of race with him at the start of the spring,” Freedman said.
“He’s had a lengthy preparation, three solid trials and he’s earned a bit of a break.”
While Elliptical made his debut in blinkers, Freedman said they may necessarily be a part of his race day gear into the future.
And in scoring a debut win, Elliptical possibly also held off being gelded.
Racing outside the leader Concentric, Elliptical initially struggled to pick up and get his head in front of that horse.
However, Freedman said Zahra was keen to have Elliptical race outside horses saying the colt races better that way, with the trainer agreeing.
“If he didn’t put that horse away, he might have been looking at the ultimate gear change as he was travelling really strongly,” Freedman said.
“But it’s not an easy task to win 1400 metres first start here.
“We’ve come here before with first starters over this distance and it’s a big ask.
“He’s a high price colt that has good ability and he could be holding back a fraction too.
“The blinkers helped him today and whether he stays in them for his career, we will see.”