Trainers Richard, Will Freedman saddle four runners at Rosehill

The Australian

3 days ago

Richard and Will Freedman have set themselves some ambitious targets for the new racing season and they are looking to get off to a fast start at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
The father/son training operation has been through and continues to make changes to the business with Richard, in his words, having 'loosened the reins'.
Richard has moved to the family property at Broke, 25km south of Singleton, while Will manages the day-to-day running of the Rosehill stable which set a new benchmark in the recently concluded season.
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'We trained over 50 winners in the season that is concluding,' Richard said.
'We've only got 40 boxes and I've always had the rule of thumb that if you're training a winner per box, you're going all right.
'We've outperformed that and with the horses we've had in those boxes, I think it's been a terrific effort.
Will, 32, moved back to Sydney to join forces with his Group 1-winning father towards the end of the 2021/22 season and he's now moved into the driver's seat at their Rosehill base.
'Will has been the driving force of the stable throughout the season that has just ended,' Richard said. 'He's the one making the day-to-day decisions.
'He writes the work list, I used to write the work list but he does now.
'I'm the consigliere. I get consulted on decision, I get my input and doing all the work away from the stable on the farm.
'As a father I'm pretty happy with the way he's going.'
Pocketing (green and white) wins the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes for Richard and Will Freedman earlier this year. Photo: Jason McCawley / Getty Images
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While Will manages the day-to-day operation of the Rosehill barn of Freedman Training, Richard is overseeing the development of his Hunter property which they hope will continue its transformation into a fully operational training centre in the next 12 months.
'We're at Broke, the next town to Pokolbin. We're surrounded by wineries,' Richard said.
'Right now we spell and pre-train at the farm but next year's we're looking to train a few horses off the property as well.
'As we speak, we are putting in an 1800 metre track at the farm. The grass track will be 25 metres wide.
'We're looking forward to adding the farm as a training base because we think that will help us up the results again.'
On Saturday, the Freedmans have four runners and they kick off their 2025/26 season with the back-to-back provincial winner Cold Brew in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).
Richard and Will Freedman will on Saturday at Rosehill saddle up Cold Brew (red silks), pictured winning at Newcastle on July 15. Picture: Bradley Photos
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'Everyone knows it's not easy winning your next start after winning a maiden and he's a bit of a slow learner so in some ways there was as much merit about his second win as there was when he trounced them at Hawkesbury,' Will Freedman said.
'I don't have a concern about the likelihood of a wet track for him, I think he'll handle it and the form around him is OK.
'He deserves his chance in a Saturday race in the city.'
Next to go will be Rolling Magic, a Midway winner two starts back before being a victim of race tempo last start. The son of Per Incanto (USA) runs in the Jockeys Celebration Day Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m).
'His closing sectionals last start were very strong,' Will said. 'He ran home in 33.4 or something and he couldn't have gone any better.
'The way the race played out he was in an unwinnable position getting back from the draw.
'Drawn much better this time, I'd expect him to position much closer and he'll turn his form around in terms of his finishing position.
'The wet is a bit of an unknown but he's a fit horse that is going well.'
Black-type winner Elettrica resumes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo:.
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It's hoped that one of the stable's spring big guns will be Elettrica and the mare resumes on Saturday in the NSW Jockeys Association Benchmark 94 Handicap (1300m).
'She's going really well but she's not a first-up horse,' Will said.
'She's never won first-up so if she had to draw the outside barrier, it happened in the right run of the prep.
'She doesn't love it wet but she's going to get back and I would be very happy if I get to see her passing a few in the last 200m.'
Rounding out their quartet of runners is another horse resuming, Magnatear in the Congratulations Chris Waller Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m).
'If it was a dry track on Saturday, I'd be really confident with him,' Will said.
'I'm not saying he won't handle the wet track, I'm just unsure.
'He's a really healthy horse and I think he's going better than ever. I'm very excited about him heading into this preparation.'