Freedman’s hopes fly high with forecast for wet track at Rosehill

2 hours ago 1

By Craig Kerry

January 16, 2026 — 5.02pm

Richard Freedman believes Let’s Fly will be the one to beat in the listed January Cup (2000m) if predicted showers turn Rosehill into a mudlark’s paradise on Saturday.

The Rosehill trainer and his son, Will, have Let’s Fly and Pleasure Artist in the $200,000 feature, which was in danger of not going ahead because of a lack of acceptances this week. Pleasure Artist and Ciaron Maher-trained Future History were added after extended nominations to give the race a field of eight, which was down to seven on Friday.

The high chance of rain overnight and through Saturday could lead to more scratchings, but it also gave Freedman hope with Let’s Fly.

The four-year-old Flying Artie mare, an $8.50 TAB chance on Friday, produced a career highlight when putting almost six lengths on her rivals in a three-year-old benchmark 72 handicap over 1800m in May last year on a heavy 9 Randwick track.

She has not won again across nine starts, but her biggest cheque in that run was a three-quarters-of-a-length third at Kembla over 2000m on a rain-marred Gong program in November.

She is on the back-up from last week’s Lakes meeting at Wyong when fifth over 2100m on a hot and fast day of racing, and Freedman was counting on contrasting conditions on Saturday. Braith Nock rides from gate four.

Braith Nock riding Let’s Fly to victory at Randwick on May 24, 2025.

“It depends what the weather is like,” Freedman said about his pair’s chances.

“We’ve got Let’s Fly in there and she absolutely loves it wet. She eats it up. If it’s wet, she’ll be the one to beat.

“When there’s an S or a H next to the track rating, her performance really lifts.”

Rosehill is hosting its first meeting since major track renovations and was rated a soft 5 on Friday.

Pleasure Artist, a four-year-old Trapeze Artist mare, was the $14 outsider with Jay Ford to ride. She won at Canterbury two starts ago in a 1900m benchmark 72 but then finished down the track at Randwick in a benchmark 78 over 2000m.

“I think we rode her upside down a little bit the other day,” Freedman said.

“She sat on a very hot pace and I don’t think that suits her, so she can improve.”

Peter Snowden-prepared Unspoken ($3.20) and Chris Waller’s Imperialist ($3.30) were battling for favouritism, with Future History next at $4.80.

The Freedmans also have hopes with Casino Prince five-year-old Forbidden Riff, which is stepping up in grade and trip in the seventh, a benchmark 78 handicap over 2400m.

The former Anthony Cummings-trained galloper has won five of 11 starts since coming to the Freedmans and is on a three-race winning streak at the provincials. His latest was in 68 grade over 2100m at Gosford on New Year’s Eve. He was at $11 from gate 10 with Chad Schofield aboard.

“Every time we throw a hurdle in front of hm, he’s been jumping it lately,” Freedman said. “He’s a good, honest horse who puts in hard every start and I definitely think he will run out the trip.”

The stable’s shortest-priced chance on the program was Written In Munny, which was down to debut in the two-year-old handicap (1100m) to start the day.

The Written Tycoon colt, a $360,000 yearling, was $4.60 after a sharp trial win at Rosehill but Freedman said: “if it gets wet, he may not go around”.

“We might just wait another week with him,” he said.

“I think he ran a second and a half faster than every other trial that day, including all the older horses, and that’s quite a margin. He’s fast, and over the next month or so, we’ll see how good.”

Magic fading for Baker on Gold Coast

Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker could be without a runner in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic after unbeaten favourite Warwoven and stablemate Masvingo failed veterinary checks on Friday at the Gold Coast.

Warwoven was odds-on for the $3 million race on Friday morning before he was found to be lame in the off fore leg during pre-race checks, while stablemate Masvingo ($41) was declared lame in the near fore leg. They failed checks again Friday afternoon. Racing Queensland stewards said they were to be reexamined on Saturday, before the scratching deadline.

“We do think possibly with Warwoven there’s a bit of a foot issue there, so we’ll work on that and we are confident he will be right,” Baker told his Instagram followers in the morning.

Rachel King wins on Warwoven at Randwick.

The setbacks come after Baker lost the early favourite for the race, Paradoxium, to illness.

Baker won the race last year with O’Ole, which gave the trainer and jockey Tommy Berry an emotional victory. Berry’s twin brother Nathan combined with Baker to win the race with Unencumbered in 2014, three months before the jockey’s death at just 23.

Tommy rides Mystical ($41) in this year’s race and partners hot favourite Ninja in the $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m), both for Randwick trainer Michael Freedman.

Berry expects Ninja to improve off his stunning five-lengths Vo Rogue Plate win when he faces another wide barrier. That was Berry’s first sit on the Farnan gelding, which blew his rivals away despite a wide run.

“For him to win so convincingly last start against similar opposition and handle them with contempt, I think that’s why he’s so short,” Berry said.

“People think he can have bad luck and probably still win. We’re hoping not to get too much of that, but we know we’ve got the right horse if we strike trouble or get caught wide.

“He was five weeks between runs into his second-up run. He’s only two weeks in between now and strips a bit fitter, so he’s only going to improve.”

Filly Mystical has flashed home for second in her two runs and Berry hopes the addition of visors will help.

“She just lacks that early speed, which you need to win two-year-old races,” he said.

“The Magic Millions always has good speed, which will assist her well.

“She galloped in a pair of visors on Tuesday morning and was much sharper, so we’re hoping that gives her a little edge that was missing in those first two runs.”