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A strained hamstring restricted handy mare Juan Diva to just two starts back in the autumn so co-trainer Richard Freedman hopes she can make up for lost time in the spring, starting at Gosford on Wednesday.
The five-year-old, whose best form is on good tracks, looked in for a solid preparation earlier in the year when she kicked off with a closing second on a soft track but her beaten margin of 13 lengths second-up at Hawkesbury is not a true indication of the story.
Juan Diva was heavily backed in that race and was badly checked out of it, Richard Freedman suspects the hamstring issue was a result of that so gave her the time she needed.
An impressive trial win at Rosehill earlier this month showed her readiness to resume in the Ranvet Handicap (1100m) at Gosford.
"She's been good this time, she's been trouble free,'' Freedman said.
"I've only given her the one trial, she trialled well, and she may improve with the run but she does go well fresh."
While Juan Diva, $4.60 with TAB on Tuesday, hasn't won first-up in the past Freedman said that may be misleading as prior to her second placing last prep her other first-up runs were a close fourth on debut and an unplaced effort on a soft 7 track.
"She hasn't had a lot of racing and a lot of the times the tracks have played a role in that,'' he said.
"All I know is she performs well fresh and performs well on firm ground."
Stablemate Unamerican chases a hat-trick in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1900m) in what looks a similar affair to the race he took out over the same course two weeks ago.
The gelding does rise 2kg but boasts an unbeaten record at the track and four of his five wins have been at the 1900m.
"He'll run largely the same way, he's just got to get some luck early in the race,'' Freedman said.
"If he gets some luck early and gets in a nice spot he will give his best again. He rarely runs a bad race.
"He obviously likes Gosford, he's run well there twice now. I'd like a slightly longer race but he's capable at the 1900m."
The Freedman partnership has two other Gosford runners, Park Avenue will be second-up in the 1st Crop Yes Yes Yes Foals Handicap (1200m) and On The Lead also has his second start this prep in the Earthlight @ Darley Handicap (1100m).
Park Avenue started favourite first-up at Gosford, finishing third behind Tristate over 1100m.
"He'll run well again. He will improve with that first-up run and he will put himself right in the race,'' Freedman said.
The initial thought from Freedman regarding On The Lead, a handy fifth behind Andermatt at Kembla when resuming, was to save him for another day after drawing barrier 13 but with six scratchings already that could be reassessed.
