Neil Evans
A leading Randwick stable is set to unleash a first-up double strike at Thursday’s feature Gosford meeting.
And it could be the start of much bigger things to come for a pair of emerging youngsters in the Michael Freedman yard.
On a surface likely to remain around Soft 5, three-year-old filly Pazyryk looks primed to hit the ground running and immediately turn around the disappointments from an initial provincial campaign earlier in the year.
The daughter of generational star Lonhro and out of a Group 3-winning mare returns in a 2YO & 3YO Maiden handicap over 1100m behind two eye-catching trials run on soft ground.
Back in summer after being transferred from the Godolphin stable, Pazyryk failed to gather momentum in three unplaced provincial runs.
But given 14 weeks off and two trials, she’s set to resume a vastly different galloper, jumping from a middle barrier with Rachel King aboard.
Pazyryk opened around $2.80 in early betting, well ahead of two-year-old Hawkesbury colt Rainbow Charlie at $4.60 and another Randwick debutante in Magic Blaze $6.50.
Then in the race following, the Freedman camp unleashes exciting two-year-old colt Tannin in a good quality Maiden Plate over 1200m.
A son of prolific speed sire Exceed And Excel, Tannin opens his career having won the second of two trials, only 10 days ago at Hawkesbury running comparable sectional times with the open class triallers that day.
Strapping and powerfully built, Tannin opened a $3.60 favourite in early betting in what looms as a potentially strong maiden formline.
On the second line of the market, three-year-old filly Sorentina ($4.60) has an edge in race fitness heading into her fourth start.
Behind her in betting two more debutants are also well-placed to make an impact.
Opine, a three-year-old son of So You Think from the Joseph Pride stable, and Pharland, a three-year-old by Doubtland with Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, opened around $5.50 in early betting.
Both come with a long list of owners, and have impressed at the trials.
Supplied by Racing NSW
