Mitch Freedman's blossoming training career will power to new levels with an assault on the biggest week of the racing calendar.
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Yet to have a runner in a group 1 race, Freedman looks set to have three compete at the elite level during the rich Flemington carnival.
Flashy grey galloper Southern Moon has been accepted for the Victoria Derby this Saturday, impressive Moonee Valley winner Broadwayandfourth is being aimed towards the Coolmore Stud Stakes on the same program and top filly Moonlight Maid is well fancied to win the Kennedy Oaks the following Thursday.
"We've got a really exciting week ahead of us with some horses going to some big races with some legitimate chances," the 30-year-old said.
Freedman, who previously worked as foreman for Darren Weir, said the recent shift to Ballarat had been a successful one.
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"I suppose when we moved up to Ballarat two years ago I had a bit of a plan that if we were going to get some quality horses we needed to get some young ones in and bring them through our system. And hopefully our system would allow us to develop some quality horses and be aiming at these sort of races," he said.
"I'm surprised it has happened this quickly, but it has been a welcome surprise..."
Freedman hasn't let a shock positive swab for cobalt in August - which he says he will vigorously fight - shift his focus from training winners with 14 so far this season. This has him on track to better his career-best tally of 40 which he achieved in 2018-19.
His run of form has also included breakthrough black type success, with Moonlight Maid winning the group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington in early October and Broadwayandfourth taking out last weekend's listed Crockett Stakes.
Freedman has been forced to search for a new jockey for this Saturday after Ben Melham proved unsuccessful in his bid to overturn a suspension he received aboard Broadwayandfourth.
He told The Courier on Tuesday that Billy Egan had been booked to take the ride on Southern Moon and that Jye McNeil would partner Broadwayandfourth.
Melham is free to ride on Oaks day and will join forces with Moonlight Maid.
