Trainer Michael Freedman is weighing multiple options for exciting three-year-old Ninja as he maps out a potential path towards the Gold Coast.
Ninja has made an immediate impact with two wins from three starts, highlighted by an explosive 11-length maiden win at Kembla Grange and a tough Benchmark 72 victory. Freedman is now considering both Sydney and Brisbane for his next assignment.
The gelding is nominated for a Benchmark 72 at Rosehill but may instead head north for Doomben’s Pierata Plate, a 1200m set-weights contest for three-year-olds. A final call will be made after acceptances.
Both races carry $160,000 in prizemoney.
“I just want to see the acceptances tomorrow first, so I’m not really sure,” Freedman said.
“Either up there or here, it’ll just depend on fields and barriers.”
All of Ninja’s race-day appearances have come on rain-affected ground, but his latest 1050m Randwick trial on good footing pleased Freedman as he angles towards stakes level.
“I’ve seen enough of him on dry tracks. His trials this time back have both been on pretty firm ground, he seems pretty adept on all conditions,” Freedman said.
“We’ll sort of put him on a pathway perhaps towards a Magic Millions Guineas.
“See how he comes up, but that’s sort of been a bit of a long-term program for him.”
Racing NSW is on weather watch, with Sydney forecast to nudge 40 degrees on Saturday and the meeting potentially shifting to Sunday.
“Should the current forecast remain in place (partly cloudy, 41 deg) it is likely the meeting will be pushed back a day and run Sunday,” a statement on X said.
Freedman’s preferred path would see Ninja peak third-up in the $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas, with Saturday’s run key to the decision.
“If you went up there and raced Saturday, you may stay on and then run in a Vo Rogue (Plate) or something,” Freedman said.
“Second up and then a fortnight into the Magic Millions, that’s the type of program we’ll be having a look at.
“But if we drew poorly in both on the weekend, then we’ve obviously got the option of waiting and going to Wyong next week in that three-and four-year-old race.”
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