Anthony and Sam Freedman eye Sydney stakes hat-trick with Henlein, Tropicus and Punch Lane

Father-son team Anthony and Sam Freedman eye a stakes triple treat with Henlein, Tropicus and Punch Lane at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Victorian trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman are poised to take their Sydney spring carnival raid up a notch with Group 1 contenders Henlein, Tropicus and Punch Lane at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.

The father-son team have already made a splash during the carnival with gun filly Ameena winning the first leg of the Princess Series last month in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes.

They will chase a stakes treble this weekend with Henlein set to get first crack in the Group 3 $250,000 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

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The Dundeel colt, a half-brother to All Aged Stakes winner Magic Time, showed plenty of promise in a pair of two-year-old starts and has been $15 into $8 in his first run back from a break.

A date with the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) is on the horizon if Henlein can run up to expectations this spring.

“He is a lovely horse,” Sam Freedman said.

“He has trialled up nicely.

“The 1400m might be a tad sharp for him but we expect him to be working home very well and he will improve off the run on Saturday.

“Once he gets out the mile and 2000m, we will see the best of him.

“We really like him so hopefully he puts it into his racing and we could have a very nice colt for the spring.”

Tropicus ($26) is having his second Sydney spring start in the Group 2 $300,000 Run To The Rose (1200m).

Tropicus is second up in the Run To The Rose. Picture: Brett Holburt / Racing Photos

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He produced one of the flashing light runs of the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes when he worked home strongly from last to finish third behind Storm Boy.

“We had to ride him conservatively from the gate but we were really happy with the way he found the line,” Freedman said.

“His targets are potentially the Golden Rose or Caulfield Guineas, they are front of mind for him at the moment.

“Regan (Bayliss) will be on him on Saturday. We are just taking him run by run at the moment.”

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Punch Lane is a progressive five-year-old that looks ready for his biggest campaign yet after building a record of six wins and four placings from 12 starts.

The son of So You Think holds a nomination for the Group 1 $1.5m Epsom Handicap (1600m) and could put himself in the conversation for the race when he returns in the Group 2 $300,000 Theo Mark Stakes (1400m).

Punch Lane is coming off a Brisbane winter carnival campaign where the gelding lapped up heavy conditions to win twice, including in the Listed Glasshouse Quality (1600m).

Punch Lane is coming off a Listed win in Queensland. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

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“He appreciated the soft ground up in Queensland but he has got form on good tracks as well,” Freedman said.

“I think he is just maturing as well.

“He trialled on Monday and is obviously a So You Think so they generally don’t come up at two and he has been improving every season.

“We don’t know where his target is yet but there is a plethora of options for a horse like him coming through the spring.”

Punch Lane is a $5 hope in the Theo Marks with Chad Schofield booked.

The Freedmans could be a chance to train all four legs of the quaddie with talented sprinter Unflinching set to make his return in the TAB Benchmark 88 (1100m).

The speedy son of I Am Invincible hasn’t raced since the first month of the year and has won both of his trials in the lead up to his first up assignment.

“Unflinching’s trials have been excellent and his work has been good too,” Freedman said.

“He is a high speed jump-and-run type and he looks set for a nice enough campaign.”

Meanwhile, Freedman confirmed Ameena had pulled up well since finishing runner up to Manaal in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) last weekend.

Manaal turns the tables on Ameena in the G2 Furious Stakes at Randwick, and it's a race record - 1:08:68!@[e-mail]/DbjZTHwlGQ

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 7, 2024

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“Ameena pulled up super so we will push on towards the Tea Rose and take on Autumn Glow,” Freedman said.

Ameena is on a Flight Stakes path and is an $8 chance to snare the Group 1 feature next month where unbeaten boom filly Autumn Glow is a clear $2.30 favourite at $2.30.

Originally published as Anthony and Sam Freedman eye Sydney stakes hat-trick with Henlein, Tropicus and Punch Lane