Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Will Freedman wants Celui to push his Ramornie Handicap claims and a stronger version of Attractiveness to make an impact second time around at Rosehill when his stable chases another Saturday double at home.
Cold Brew ($5) and Lighthouse Lass ($16) gave Will and his father, Richard, their first Saturday city brace last week at Rosehill and they head back with similar hopes.
Attractiveness trounced her rivals by more than three lengths first-up at Newcastle in a 1250m class 1 three weeks ago and steps up to a 1300m benchmark 72 handicap for three-year-olds. She made a similar jump in class at Rosehill in January finishing fifth in a Midway Handicap at her fourth start, following a super maiden win and close second at Gosford.
Will was surprised with Attractiveness’ return effort and believed she had come back stronger. The stable also accepted with Attractiveness in the Midway Handicap, but Will said the three-year-old race was always their first preference.
“She’s a beautiful filly,” he said.
“She had a mid-prep setback, a bit of a virus, and she probably wasn’t 100 per cent by the time she went around at Newcastle. She probably showed more than I expected. I think she’s pretty promising.
“Last prep we wanted to give her a little bit of a test in town, and I think she performed admirably for a horse that had only had three starts, and then she’s really strengthened up this prep. It’s all worked out for her.”
Senior provincial jockey Keagan Latham heads to town to keep the ride on Attractiveness, an $8 TAB chance from gate eight.
Five-year-old Celui was a $13 hope in the eighth, a 1200m benchmark 88, where he has gate one and 57.5 kilograms after apprentice Will Stanley’s 3kg claim.
Celui raced on speed last start at Canterbury over 1100m in the same grade before finishing two lengths off the winner.
“He’s had a bit of a break between runs. He likes running fresh,” Will said.
“He’ll be there a long way, probably settle close enough to the speed, which should help
“If he can relax mid-race, he’ll be stronger to hold out late, but he’s a horse that needs to get it most of the way his own way.
“If he runs well in this race, we’ll probably look at a race like the Ramornie, but he is a horse that doesn’t like too many runs consecutively in his prep. At his best, he’s pretty good.”
He said Cold Brew and Lighthouse Lass were due to race again next Saturday at Randwick.
