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By Ray Hickson

He may have been a beaten favourite first-up but smart grey Love Tap showed co-trainer Richard Freedman more than enough to say it was a good foundation for improvement into Saturday’s Rosehill assignment.

Trainer Richard Freedman (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The Group 3 winner was having his first run since a fourth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes when he settled well off the pace before finishing seventh, beaten 1.7 lengths, over 1350m at Doomben on May 15.

Freedman said he did try to keep expectations down ahead of the gelding's return from injury – he started $2 favourite – but the stakes are a little higher in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1500m).

“I think if he’d been a $5 second or third favourite people would be saying that was a good run,’’ he said.

“I did spend two days before it saying this horse is vulnerable. He was first-up over 1350m at a track he’s never raced at, I said he’s coming back from injury and hasn’t raced for over six months. There were a lot of negatives.

“I think he will run a better race at this distance, he’s on his home track, he’s had the run under his belt now.

“There will be a higher expectation from me, put it that way. I think he is working well enough to run a good race.”

Love Tap was regarded as one of the most exciting three-year-olds in the spring after graduating from a maiden win at Nowra on debut in June and progressing unbeaten through to his dominant Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) win in September.

Freedman said the winter preparation is to bridge the gap between last spring and the coming carnival and wants to learn a bit more about where his strengths will be.

“We want to get him back and racing, where we can give him a little break again and springboard into the spring,’’ he said.

“I think he is a 2000m horse, I don’t think he’s a 2400m horse. I think he is best at a mile to 2000m, that’s my gut feel at the moment.”

Tim Clark rides Love Tap, $3.20 favourite with TAB on Thursday, this weekend with Nash Rawiller riding interstate.

Stablemate Resilient Star has proven to be a bit hot and cold in his short career to date but Freedman said a repeat of his last start effort, an impressive come from behind win at Newcastle, will see him be competitive in the Fujitsu General Handicap (1400m).

Love Tap's first-up run at Doomben on May 15

The three-year-old, $12 and drawn the outside, easily accounted for Gravina, an easy winner at Randwick last weekend, when resuming before failing second-up then rebounding.

“He’s a funny horse to predict,’’ Freedman said.

“He ran an awful race at Warwick Farm the other day then bounced back and won really well at the provincials with a big weight. If he puts his best foot forward he will run a decent race for sure.”

Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside is back in work in Queensland, as the Freedman stable has widely promoted on social media, while Freedman said fellow Group 1 winner Forbidden Love has also started her build up to the spring.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's meeting at Rosehill