Anthony and Sam Freedman have made a slight adjustment to their immediate plans for Point Barrow this weekend, though this does not indicate a reduction in their high hopes for the dynamic mare.
The four-year-old is continuing her progression towards a potential start in the $3 million Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on November 7, with her next focus being the $240,000 Group 3 Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
The father-son training partnership had initially targeted the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) on the same race card for her. However, a late change of heart prompted them to keep the recent Group 3 How Now Stakes winner at the 1200m distance and racing against her own sex.
“She was always going to the Schillaci and then we just threw a nom in for the mares’ race and it’s probably come in a little bit more suitable,” Sam Freedman said.
“It was obviously good to get her back in the game (last start), because the Moir was a bit of a non-event.
“She’s right back on track. We want to get her to the Sprint on the last day, so if she’s going to be a factor in that she’ll want to be winning on Saturday.”
The daughter of Blue Point improved her record at Caulfield to three wins from five starts in the How Now Stakes. This came after an eleventh-place finish first-up in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), where she was outpaced and remained at the back throughout.
Point Barrow faces the second-widest barrier and must carry 58kg in Saturday’s 14-horse set-weights-and-penalties event. However, Freedman noted that optimal track conditions, which are predicted, will be essential for her to produce her best performance between now and race day.
The Caulfield track was rated a Soft 6 at acceptance time.
“She needs Good ground, she doesn’t handle Soft or Heavy,” Freedman confirmed.
“She needs a little bit to go right, but she can offset a bit of bias because she’s always going to finish off really strong, and her record at Caulfield’s very good.
“I’m confident she’s flying along and should hold her form now for the rest of the spring.”
Mark Zahra, who partnered Point Barrow to victory in her last start, will retain the ride in the Northwood Plume Stakes.
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