Pavitra’s trainer Richard Freedman queries the NZ credentials of Group 1 rival Prowess

Trainer Richard Freedman has questioned the form of boom New Zealand filly Prowess as he plots her downfall with promising Pavitra in the Group 1 $600,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Prowess is making her Sydney debut but she has impeccable recent form winning four races in succession including the Group 1 Bonecrusher Stakes.

Pavitra, runner-up in the Victoria Oaks last spring, also comes to Rosehill at the top of her game after bounding clear to win the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic by four lengths.

In overnight TAB Fixed Odds betting, Prowess is the $2.70 favourite shading Pavitra at $3.20 then it is $13 or longer the rest with the exception of Fireburn, last year’s Golden Slipper winner, who is at $7.50.

“Prowess beat older horses in a Group 1 albeit in New Zealand last start and I’m not sure what that equates to here anymore,” Freedman said.

“I know it is not Group 1 form here, it is probably Group 3 form here but you still have to respect it as she will run the trip out.”

Pavitra won two of her eight starts during her debut preparation last year culminating with her second placing to She’s Extreme in the Oaks at Flemington.

But Freedman is adamant Pavitra is a more complete racehorse this autumn as she demonstrated in her Kembla Grange Classic romp last start.

“There is no doubt Pavitra has come back a better this filly autumn,” Freedman said.

“I don’t think she could have done that to the class of field that high last year. Mind you, what is also helping her is she is getting dry tracks which she loves.

“She handles rain-affected tracks but she is better on a firm track so I’m a little worried how the track will come up on Saturday.”

The Rosehill track surface was rated a soft 5 late on Friday with some showers forecast on race day.

Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son Will, said Pavitra has done everything right since winning second-up last start.

“She’s at least as good as she was before Kembla,” said Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son, Will. “All going well, the plan is to go to the (ATC Australian) Oaks next start then we will give her a break and look to spring.”

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When was the last time two Melbourne Cup winners and two Sydney Cup winners contested the same race in Sydney?

It is a rare occurrence but at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, Gold Trip, last year’s Melbourne Cup hero, and the 2019 winner Vow And Declare, clash in the Group 1 $1.5 million Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m).

Their rivals include the last two Sydney Cup winners Knights Order (2022) and Selino (2021).

Australian Turf Club’s James Ross said the four Cup winners and a host of feature race winners makes Saturday’s Tancred a “world class renewal”.

“To see such class come up against a four-time Group 1 winner in Montefilia on her home track with a rising star in young jockey Dylan Gibbons adds extra interest to this great autumn race,” Ross said.

“Some 35 years after internationals first came to Sydney for the Tancred Stakes it is pleasing to see world-renowned (Irish) trainer Joseph O’Brien enter Cleveland with a champion jockey in Kerrin McEvoy aboard.

“The international runners have already tasted multiple Group 1 success at the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and we continue to see runners each week from the northern hemisphere compete against the best of Australia and New Zealand.”

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Cascadian can take his career earnings over the $8 million barrier if he wins the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The Godolphin warhorse is the $3.60 favourite to win the feature race and earn $1.8 million which will takes his overall prizemoney to $8.25 million,

Trainer James Cummings said rising nine-year-old Cascadian has pulled up well after his closing second to Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile last week.

“The Australian Cup looks a really intriguing race for him, third-up from a spell,” Cummings said.

“He should be well suited to 2000m in a solidly run Australian Cup. He’s more likely in the form when he backed up and ran second to Zaaki in the (2021) Mackinnon Stakes.”

Cummings is having a career-best season with champion Anamoe’s George Ryder Stakes success last week giving the trainer 10 Group 1 wins for 2022-23 with Chris Waller next on eight wins.

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Ellsberg, who famously dead-heated with Top Ranked in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap last spring, will be offered for sale at an online auction on Inglis Digital next week.

Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Ellsberg reeled off three wins in succession last spring following his Epsom success by taking out the Five Diamonds Prelude then the rich Five Diamonds.

His Five Diamonds wins was particularly outstanding as he smashed the Rosehill 1800m record which had stood for 25 years and earned a lofty Timeform rating of 121.

Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch said the online sale is an opportunity to secure a ready-made stallion.

“For a start, he’s a really beautiful horse and it’s telling that he was extremely popular as the sales both as a weanling and a yearling,” Hutch said.

“Likes tends to beget like and if that’s the case with Ellsberg, he’ll breeding very good-looking stock.

“In terms of pedigree, he brings together the Danehill sire line through two great stallions in Redoute’s Choice and Snitzel, with another pure speed influence in General Nediym in a combination that looks most appealing.”

The “Ellsberg Sale” went live on inglisdigital.com at 3pm on Friday with bidding to open from 9am Tuesday.

5 years ago

Almandin, the 2016 Melbourne Cup winner, was back to his dominant best scoring an impressive under Kerrin McEvoy in the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill. Hiyaam avenged her defeat in the Phar Lap Stakes behind Unforgotten by beating that filly in the Vinery Stud Stakes. They clashed again in ATC Australian Oaks two weeks later where Unforgotten emerged the winner.

10 years ago

Fiveandahalfstar, the tough Anthony Cummings-trained three-year-old who won the Victoria Derby the previous spring, led throughout and held off favourite Silent Achiever to win the Tancred Stakes. Fiveandahalfstar didn’t race again for nearly two years and never won another race due to injury. Norzita, winner of the Flight Stakes the previous spring, claimed her second Group 1 win in the Vinery Stud Stakes.

20 years ago

Freemason, trained by John Hawkes and ridden by Darren Beadman, was a $31 outsider when he led most of the way and fought off champion Northerly in an epic slugfest for the Tancred Stakes. Shower Of Roses, the daughter of Zabeel and closely related to champions Octagonal and Mouawad, scored the biggest win of her career in the Vinery Stud Stakes.