Trainers Richard and Will Freedman have had to be patient to get Playbill to the races but there’s confidence he will be worth the wait as he prepares for his debut at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
Playbill ($18 on TAB), raced by Arrowfield Stud, has had a couple of false starts but will line up for the first time under racing conditions in the Peak Gardens Super Maiden Plate (1400m).
“He is a big horse and actually has shown a plenty of promise but has had a lot of setbacks,” co-trainer Will Freedman said.
“They have just minor setbacks that keep pushing him further and further back but he has always shown a bit of ability.
Piraeus (Mitchell Bell) returns after winning at Muswellbrook. Image by Bradley Photographers
“He is probably going to want to get over 2000m but he has enough ability, it’s just a matter of if he will take a run or two to tighten up because he’s probably 17 hands tall.”
Playbill should be able to take advantage of a perfect draw in barrier two with Will Stanley claiming 2kg on the gelding.
He will be one of three chances for the father-son team on the provincial card with Lethal Love ($9) poised for a second-up crack at The Shae Dale Maiden Handicap (1200m).
The Freedmans won’t run Fullalove ($5) in the same race but believe Lethal Love can improve off a debut fourth at Canberra over 1000m.
“I thought she was pretty good first-up,” Freedman said. “She probably got left a little bit flatfooted and didn’t have the tactical speed to be close enough.
“But I thought she couldn’t have done much more than she did and if she gets a nice run in transit on Saturday, she will be hard to beat.”
Piraeus ($9.50) is also an acceptor at Monday’s public holiday meeting at Warwick Farm but will line up from the awkward alley in the Cobby’s Cup Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m).
He will need to carry the topweight of 61kg after Stanley’s claim with the stable plotting a course towards bigger assignments.
“He is on track to try and compete again in the Four Pillars so we want to give him a run and to be competitive,” Freedman said.
“He is not usually a great first-up horse so he will improve out of it but it’s a step back in grade to what he is used to running in.”
View final fields with full form & race replays for Kembla Grange here