3 minute read

Freelancer made it back-to-back wins when he scored an emphatic win in the Birdcage Tavern BM76 over 1650m in Devonport last Sunday.

In Brief

• Wordsmith gelding sharting to show true colours.
• Campbell says Freelancer should remain competitive for balance of prep.
• Vet check reveals no abnormalities for well-backed favourite that failed to finish.

The Barry Campbell-trained gelding came from well back to score comfortably from Vallabar ($8) with race leader Rising Hsiang ($21) hanging on for third.

Campbell said it was a solid win and expects the gelded son of Wordsmith to remain competitive in whatever he contests for the remainder of his preparation.

Punters sent Freelancer around at $4.40 while the heavily supported Rock the Bowler ($1.85 fav) was a spent force at the half-way mark.

Rock the Bowler settled near the rear but when Freelancer started his move 600m out, the favourite started going backwards.

The Glenn Stevenson-trained gelding had won effortlessly at his previous outing over 1650m but this time he failed to finish the course.

"I'll have his bloods done and see if that shows anything that might have caused what we all just saw," Stevenson said after the race.

Lightly raced four-year-old mare Rock'Em Baby showed enough to suggest she may have a bright future after winning the Goodstone Group 1150-metre maiden.

The mare made her way into Tanya Hanson's Longford stable after she was purchased privately as an untried three-year-old for only $7,000.

On Sunday, the daughter of Walking or Dancing produced a tough finish with Siggy Carr aboard to win in the last stride over prolific placegetter Lacerate.

"My nephew (Kyle Maskiell) was riding her for the person who was breaking her in, and he was told the owner wanted to sell her, so when he told me she had ability I made an offer and looks like she will end up being a good buy," Hanson said.

"She is still learning because her legs were going everywhere in the home straight, but she was very keen to win and that's a good sign."

Rock'em Baby was having only her second start, but she made light work of an outside barrier to cross and race outside of the leader before edging out Lacerate that looked set to win 100 metres out.

Hanson said she plans to keep the mare in work.

"She's almost five, so we will keep racing her while she is going well and hopefully, we can progress her through the grades."