Mitch Freedman will consider interstate options for Attrition after the Victoria Handicap

Toorak Handicap winner Attrition is back to full health for Saturday’s Victoria Handicap after his first-up flop.

Trainer Mitch Freedman wants Attrition to rebound in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap at Caulfield before any consideration is given to targets interstate beyond Saturday.

The Victoria Handicap has been a Melbourne springboard towards the Brisbane winter carnival in recent years, with past winners Cardinal Gem, Ayrton, Mr Quickie and Bam’s Of Fire going on to tackle the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

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“There’s a number of races coming up for him, in Sydney and Queensland,” Freedman said.

“But nothing planned too far ahead, other than Saturday, and then work out a plan from there.”

Attrition has recovered from a minor setback out of a first-up failure in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.

He was ridden forward on that occasion and blew out under pressure.

“Probably ridden a bit out of his comfort zone and he came through it with a minor issue, a sprained joint, that’s why we gave him a bit of time to get over the run,” Freedman said.

“He’s back to full health now, so we’ll see how he goes on Saturday.”

Toorak Handicap winner Attrition is striving to bounce back in the Victoria Handicap on Saturday. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Toorak Handicap winner Attrition is an $8.50 chance with TAB for the Victoria Handicap, with Globe ($3.40), Buffalo River ($4), Here To Shock ($5) and Seonee ($8) at the pointy end of the market.

“We’re going to be a bit conservative,” Freedman said.

“The aim Saturday is to have him back in form and performing well on race day, we won’t push him out of his comfort zone in the early part.

“He’s had a bit of time between runs, coming off a disappointing performance, just keen to see him do it race day and we can work out the rest of the prep from there.”

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Meanwhile, Freedman has Group 1 Thousand Guineas-placed filly Skybird set to resume in an 1100m 3YO Handicap at Bendigo next Saturday before Group ambitions in Adelaide.

Freedman has the Group 2 Tobin Bronze (Euclase) Stakes or Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes in mind for Skybird.

“She was a bit flattened out at the end of the spring, we have taken our time getting her back and she’s continued to improve throughout the preparation,” Freedman said.

“She missed a trial on Tuesday (washed out) but she had a very solid gallop on the course proper … expect her to be improving out of the run at Bendigo.”

Originally published as Mitch Freedman will consider interstate options for Attrition after the Victoria Handicap