In-form three year old Golden Spin continues to firm in the betting as he steps up to Group 3 company for the first time in the $150,000 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Golden Spin, above, continues to firm in the betting for the Manfred Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Golden Spin has only been to the races five times for four wins and has worked his way up through the grades this campaign with a hat trick of wins.
Co-trainers Lee and Anthony Freedman feel that the time is right to test the Medaglia D’Oro colt in better company and his legion of supports agree with his price firming in from $5.50 to be the clear favourite at $3.90 at Ladbrokes.com.au on Friday morning.
“We keeping the bar up for him and he has got the bar a bit higher this weekend in the Group 3, but the way he is racing and the way he loves to win, I wouldn’t rule out the fact that he could beat Group 3 horses,” Lee Freedman told Racing Ahead.
“He went down to Pinecliff for a week and had some salt water and a change of scenery and he absolutely loved that.”
Golden Spin will jump from barrier nine with the scratching of Prince Of Brooklyn but Freedman said the colt has plenty of early dash to help overcome the wide draw.
Mark Zahra will be the fifth jockey to ride Golden Spin and Freedman will be instructing him to go forward from the wide gate.
“The good thing about him is that he is tremendously quick out of the gates, which is a great advantage if you have drawn wide,” Freedman said.
“You get yourself into a forward position and I will let Mark work it out from there.
“He is not a difficult horse to ride and we will devise a plan around that.”
Golden Spin won his maiden at Bendigo at his second race start back in August and was then sent for spell.
On his return to the race track in December he was able to win a 1200m BenchMark 64 Handicap at Moonee Valley, followed by a win in a 1200m Caulfield BenchMark 78 Handicap and then he showed his versatility with an all the way three lengths win over the same course and distance in similar class on January 9.
Second favourite Palentino has also firmed in the betting and after opening at $5.50, is now marked at $4.80.
The Darren Weir trained Palentino is also a promising three year old on the way up with two wins from three race starts.
On the third line of betting at $6 is the Peter Moody trained Vostok, just ahead of Mick Price’s colt Ready For Victory at $7.
Manfred Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.90 Golden Spin, $4.80 Palentino, $6 Vostok, $7 Ready For Victory, $9 Tulsa, $14 Puritan, $15 Bon Aurum, Top Me Up, Gold Symphony, $21 Sovereign Nation, $41 Tokyo Tycoon, $51 Patch Adams.
