3 minute read

Extreme Flight is tackling weight-for-age company in the lead-up to the Australian Guineas.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman are looking further afield at another Group 1 prize with Extreme Flight rather than the one that confronts them at Caulfield. 

Extreme Flight is one of eight runners in the Futurity Stakes (1400m) on Saturday and Sam Freedman concedes he doubts whether Extreme Flight is a winning chance in the weight-for-age contest. 

But there is method in their madness with the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday week a potential option for the three-year-old. 

Extreme Flight has won three of his seven starts to date and strung together three wins on the trot during the spring. 

He broke his maiden status at Moe, went on to score at Sandown, defeating the well-credentialled Prix De Turn, before scoring in the Listed Gothic Stakes at Caulfield in October. 

Dropped back to 1200m in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington, Extreme Flight found the task beyond him, winding up in 15th position before going for a spell. 

Extreme Flight resumed from a spell in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) finishing fourth to Marine One and Oxley Road. 

Freedman said the stable was happy with the performance and had considered an easier option at Sandown on Wednesday before deciding to tackle weight-for-age grade. 

"Realistically I think he could run fourth or fifth," Freedman told RSN. 

"I wouldn't suspect that he's a winning chance, but it was very good return and he's come back this prep a much-improved horse. 

"We've got an eye on potentially backing him up into an Australian Guineas. 

"We were pretty close to running him in a 1400-metre benchmark 78 race at Sandown, but we've opted to go to the Futurity and if he pulls up well and runs well, we'll look to go to the Guineas." 

Extreme Flight is a $14 chance in latest TAB betting that sees Group 1 C F Orr Stakes winner Tofane the $2.60 market leader over I'm Thunderstruck at $3.60.