13 September 2022

First impressions: "...he (Harry Angel) looks like he's going to be quite handy."

Sourced from TDN AusNZ. Written by Oz Wedmore

With 2-year-old racing gradually kicking into gear, TDN AusNZ turns to some of Australia’s leading juvenile trainers to find out about the progeny of first-season sires as their debut crops begin hitting the tracks.

Sam Freedman has a perfect record in a notable juvenile contest. Since he joined his father Anthony as co-trainer the pair are unbeaten in the G1 Blue Diamond S., having taken the past two renewals with Daumier (Epaulette) earlier this year and Artorius (Flying Artie) in 2021.

For Anthony it’s close to four wins in as many renewals, as he won the race with Lyre (Lonhro) in 2019 and the brilliant Hanseatic was second only to Tagaloa in the 2020 version.

Whilst it’s too early to say which of their current team of 2-year-olds might continue the streak, there is plenty to be hopeful about with a large team of around 60 juveniles. Sam Freedman sat down with TDN AusNZ to discuss the first-season sires represented in their camp.

Harry Angel

One of those is Darley’s Harry Angel (Ire) who began shuttling from their Dalham Hall base in the UK when he retired in 2019.

Harry Angel himself only raced twice in his juvenile year, but on his second start he claimed victory in the often-influential G2 Mill Reef S. And it proved a trustworthy pointer, as in his Classic year he put together back to back Group 1 wins in the July Cup S. and Haydock Sprint Cup S., having been narrowly denied Royal Ascot victory in the G1 Commonwealth Cup.

He raced from May to October in that season, contesting four top-flight events on ground ranging from Good to Firm all the way to Heavy. It was a brilliant campaign which saw him crowned Champion Sprinter.

And signs of an impressive constitution didn’t escape Sam Freedman, whose two-year stint in Newmarket overlapped with Harry Angel’s racing career.

“He was obviously an outstanding racehorse who was durable, and he raced into his older year as a seasoned sprinter,” Sam Freedman told TDN AusNZ. “We were keen to see them at the sales, and Anthony was particularly keen to see how they looked.”

🏆Gimcrack Stakes (G2)
1210 m, 250.000 GBP, for 2yo colts and geldings
🇬🇧 York

Noble Style (GB)
(2C Kingman - Eartha Kitt, by Pivotal)
J :William Buick
T :Charlie Appleby
O : Godolphin
B : Chasemore Farm
🥈Marshman (Harry Angel)
🥉 Gold Casepic.twitter.com/bHyxyX9QD7
— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) August 19, 2022

A high-class 2-year-old who was a tough and durable sprinter - it’s obvious why Darley were inclined to give him a chance as a shuttle stallion despite those characteristics being a forte of Australian breeding.

It’s a decision that’s proved astute if the impact with his first yearlings at Southern Hemisphere sales were anything to go by. His 18 yearlings to sell at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year did so at an average just shy of $170,000.

“We were very impressed – they looked pretty sharp, more in the mould of an Australian sire and the ones we targeted looked precocious,” Freedman said.

The Freedmans were responsible for the joint-second top lot at that sale, a $380,000 colt from the draft of Edinburgh Park. He is out of the Commands mare Sun Valley, who is a half-sister to two stakes winners in Tenley (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) and Biscayne Bay (Sebring).

The speculation has turned out well according to Freedman, who has been particularly pleased with their attitudes now that they’re well into their training.

“They seem to have very good minds, they’re straightforward and they know their job,” he reported. “We’ve got five in the stable at the moment and obviously we were very keen on the Sun Valley colt, and he’s impressed us.”

Watch #HarryAngel's yearlings fly@JulianBlaxland and @FreedmanRacing team up to purchase their second #HarryAngel!

Lot 576: #HarryAngel x Sun Valley (colt), from the @edinburgh_park draft, was knocked down for $380,000 @mmsnippets Gold Coast Yearling Sale. pic.twitter.com/gjoUJqmiYZ
— Darley in Australia (@DarleyAus) January 13, 2022

With last year’s Blue Diamond winner Daumier being in the ownership of Godolphin, it’s no surprise that the Freedmans have continued to receive support from the pre-eminent operation.

“There’s one of Godolphin’s out of Romneya called Fire Follower and he looks like he’s going to be quite handy,” said Freedman.

“So, there’s a couple there that are putting their hands up as potentially early 2-year-olds.”

Fire Follower certainly has the pedigree to support a strong campaign this season. His dam, Romneya (Red Ransom {USA}), was unbeaten in three starts as a 2-year-old, including a Listed event.

Her four foals to race include Ojai (Exceed And Excel) who was a very well-considered 2-year-old, running fifth in last season’s G1 Golden Slipper, and Matilija (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) won her sole juvenile start, and was later Group 3 placed.

“They’re very independent, the two of them, the Sun Valley and the Romneya pretty much work along on their own which can be unusual enough for a just-turned-2-year-old,” said Freedman.

“They actually like the independence, and they seem to be working along really well in their routines. We almost treat them like older horses now, and I think that speaks more of their minds and their ability to take everything in.”