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Colt likely to be seen next at Canterbury on Friday and Slipper tilt remains on the cards

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Forbes (Capitalist) got his Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) campaign back on track when he won his 900 metre trial at Goulburn on Sunday by an emphatic nine lengths. 

The son of Newgate Farm’s first-season sire Capitalist (Written Tycoon), who is raced by a James Harron Bloodstock syndicate, went quickly to the front and did not see another rival, pulling away to beat Aramis En Avant (Makfi) in a time of 45.31 seconds.

"We wanted to give him a good experience and he seemed to have just that," Sam Freedman told Racing.com. "We don’t generally trial horses like that but we thought he needed a solid hit-out." 

Forbes - who finished second on debut in the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) - is nominated for the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, but Sam Freedman said the colt would more than likely head to a 1100 metre race at Canterbury on Friday night instead. 

"He’ll likely go to Canterbury on Friday night in a two-year-old 1100-metre race and providing he goes well there and pulls up well, we’ll probably go to the Black Opal (in Canberra) nine days later.

"He’ll need to win that and if he does, it gives him 13 days to the Slipper."

Freedman enjoyed his first Group 1 win since entering into a training partnership with his father Anthony courtesy of Artorius’ (Flying Artie) victory in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) last Saturday and he said the colt could now be aimed at the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick on April 3. 

"He’s really got the scope to get out to a mile as a three-year-old so we are mindful of making sure that he’s relaxing and getting that opportunity to learn how to get out to a trip,” said Freedman. 

"He’s on his way for a nice few days in the paddock."