Apocalyptic set to strike in G1 Thousand Guineas

MELBOURNE Trainer Michael Freedman had considered tipping Apocalyptic out for a break, but reasoned the filly had enough left in the tank to chase her second Group 1 success on Oct 18.

After stretching the winning sequence to three when she captured the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1,600m) at Randwick on Oct 4, Apocalyptic is in Melbourne for a shot at the A$1.5 million (S$1.26 million) Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1,600m) at Caulfield.

Freedman took advantage of galloping Apocalyptic - with race rider Mark Zahra aboard - at Caulfield on the morning of Oct 14, with stablemate Just A Journey for company.

The multiple Group 1-winning trainer was pleased with what he saw from the Extreme Choice three-year-old.

"I did give some thought to stopping and giving her a break, but she pulled up so well after the Flight, that we thought as long as she travelled down well and settled in well, that it was worth a shy at the stumps," said Freedman.

"I'm pretty excited about her, and she's done a lot in a short space of time.

"I'm looking forward to the autumn with her as well. I think she's one of the better ones that I've had anything to do with.

"In Sydney, there's some nice options around that 1,400, 1,500-metre mark. She may get a little bit further and whether we try that next preparation remains to be seen.

"But anywhere from six furlongs (1,200m), up to a mile, is probably in her sweet spot."

Freedman said it had been important that he took advantage of giving Apocalyptic - a three-time winner from four starts - a look at Caulfield before her main assignment on Oct 18.

He said he had been caught out before bringing horses down from his Sydney base and racing for the first time at Caulfield.

"That was why I was keen to give her a look around here this morning," he said.

"I've brought a few here and they find it a difficult place to get around. They seem to get around Moonee Valley better for some reason.

"She seemed to track on the right leg most of the way today.

"You could see at the top of the straight she was having a look, but that was the whole idea of coming here.

"I loved the way she worked through the line and Mark seemed really happy."

The Melbourne Cup-winning hoop has been booked to ride the odds-on favourite Apocalyptic - who will jump from barrier 4 - after her regular rider and top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry opted to stay in the capital of New South Wales.

Berry had been on board Apocalyptic in all her three victories. The filly was impressive when she opened her account in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1,200m) on Sept 6 at her second start, before going on to score in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1,400m) on Sept 20 and the Flight Stakes at her last start.

The champion jockey has combined with Freedman for many wins at top level in Australia, including Incognito in the Group 3 Breeders' Plate (1,000m) on Oct 4, Manaal in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1,400m) on Sept 27 and Stay Inside in the 2021 Group 1 Golden Slipper (1,200m), albeit Stay Inside was then co-trained by Freedman and his brother, Richard.

But the Freedman-Berry association actually began in Singapore when the pair met just before the running of the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) on Nov 17, 2013.

Then based at Kranji, Freedman invited Berry to ride the China Horse Club-owned Tropaios. The UK-bred eventually took out Kranji's time-honoured feature, opening up the doors to many successful combinations from Freedman and Berry since.

Freedman's second filly, Just A Journey, also holds an entry in the Thousand Guineas, but the daughter of Justify will instead head to the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2,000m) at the same meeting.

She was just nutted by the Danny O'Brien-trained Getta Good Feeling in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1,600m) at Flemington on Oct 4 at her most recent outing.

"It was a good run in the Manifold," said Freedman.

"She's a nice, genuine type of staying filly, and I thought the Ethereal would suit."RACING AND SPORTS