MELBOURNE: Lee Freedman is not one to hide from a challenge but he admits three-year-old filly Royal Asscher faces a mountainous climb to topple sprint queen Gold Edition in today's group two Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield.
"When we picked out this race we weren't expecting Gold Edition tobe there but she is and she is the testing material in the race for sure," Freedman said.
He has marvelled at the extraordinary ability of Gold Edition to cope with so much racing and keep winning.
"She just keeps coming up and up," he told Sport 927.
Gold Edition, who turned four only two months ago, will be having her 34th start in the Schillaci (1000m) and trying to win her 17th race.
Only six times has she missed a place and she is clearly the form runner having won the group one Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last start.
Royal Asscher, with three wins from 10 starts, is inexperienced by comparison and is the first filly Freedman can remember running in the race from his stable.
But she does tick some important boxes, including her liking for the Caulfield track where she is unbeaten in two starts while at the 1000 metres she has two wins and two seconds from four starts.
"Given that she goes well at Caulfield and is really effective at 1000 to 1200 metres we just thought that under the weight scale and with a big weight relief she would run very well," Freedman said.
A dual stakeswinner and Gold Coast Magic Millions placegetter, Royal Asscher won her first two starts this campaign over 1000m and 1200m at Caulfield carrying 58kg and 56.5kg respectively, and was freshened up after her fifth to Tan Tat De Lago in the group three Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 8.
Gold Edition the odds-on favourite at A$1.70 with TAB Sportsbet, ahead of Royal Asscher at A$4.80.
The Schillaci is named after Freedman's celebrated sprinter of the early 1990s and the Hall Of Fame trainer will be trying to win it for the fourth time after success with Bint Marscay (1994), Mahogany (1997) and Miss Andretti last year.
