Hawkesbury preview: Will Freedman finds suitable race for Cold Brew to score maiden win

Cold Brew is the shortest-price favourite on the Hawkesbury card on Thursday but needs to start turning potential into a maiden victory.

Cold Brew (right) resumed with a second behind Duke Of Arrakis at Kensington earlier this month. Picture: Bradley Photos

Trainer Will Freedman knows Cold Brew has the form to suggest he’s the horse to beat in Thursday’s St Johns Park Bowling Club Midway Maiden Plate (1300m) but needs to see his consistent gelding put potential into practice.

Cold Brew is set to line up as the shortest-price favourite on the provincial card as a red-hot $1.45 elect in his second up assignment.

The son of former two-year-old Triple Crown winner Pierro is yet to breakthrough in five attempts but has shown potential, finishing runner-up on four occasions already during his young career.

Freedman, who trains with his father Richard, is now eager to see Cold Brew score a confidence boosting success and believes his stable have found a suitable race to get on the board after scratching him from Wednesday’s Randwick Kensington meeting.

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“With the benefit of hindsight, maybe we wouldn’t have nominated for the race on Wednesday because I think he wants the 1300m,” Freedman said.

“I think he wants to travel for a little bit longer and settle a little bit closer.

“On paper he reads too good for that field but we have to see it.”

Cold Brew has had a tendency to lay in during his races and that was on display when the gelding chased home Duke Of Arrakis in his first-up second on the Kensington course.

Freedman hopes an ideal draw in barrier one “disincentivise the laying in” and allow Cold Brew to land in a comfortable position in the run.

“He will settle where he is comfortable because I want him to travel for a bit,” he said.

“He lays in when he gets put under pressure a little bit too much. I think if he can balance up and travel for a little bit before being asked, he will probably run a lot straighter and be much more professional.

“I am sure Jason (Collett) will be able to manage that but he can get on the wrong leg and still does a few things wrong but the longer straight at Hawkesbury will suit him.”

Duke Of Arrakis causes an upset in the first race at Randwick for @Reganbaylisspic.twitter.com/NQraHc6GdX

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There are similarities with both Freedman runners on the card with stablemate Miss Judas also hunting a breakthrough success after a string of near misses.

Miss Judas, a daughter of Microphone, has placed in five of her 11 starts to date and returns from a break in the Fowler Civil Contracting Maiden Plate (1000m).

“It’s a similar story with her but we’ve taken the approach that she is quite a good fresh horse,” Freedman said.

“She trialled well.

“I can understand why they like the Godolphin runner (Efharisto) but I think our filly had a lot of improvement out of that trial and I think she will run accordingly.

“She hasn’t always been the soundest horse in the world and has always had niggling issues that she has had to manage but this prep it seems like she is got a better run of health and is able to extend and let down a little better.”

Miss Judas was forced to lug big weights for much of her last preparation, including a 61kg impost in a first-up second over 900m at Muswellbrook in January.
Freedman expects she will be better suited with 57kg on her back this time in.

“She restricted to those Plate conditions otherwise she just gets a mountain of weight that she can’t overcome,” he said.

“She is well placed again.”

Bookies rate Miss Judas as a $2.80 second elect with Godolphin’s comeback galloper Efharisto heading the betting at $2.30 and Zing To Me at $4.60.

Efharisto has not been seen at the races for a massive 586-days and was last seen finishing runner-up to Erno’s Cube in the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle in November of 2023.

Lee paints a positive picture of Master Artist

A change of scenery in “easier” surroundings has trainer ­Stephen Lee optimistic about new arrival Master Artist’s first-up prospects at Lismore on Thursday.

Master Artist was previously trained in the Riverina with Michael Travers but has made the moved north to take up a slot in Lee’s Ballina barn.

The son of Flying Artie was runner-up in two of his three starts for his former trainer and will get the opportunity to break through for the new yard in the North Coast Flooring Maiden Plate (1100m).

“He was playing up a little bit going onto the track and things like that so they brought him up here to also get a bit of an easier jurisdiction as well,” Lee said.

“He had a jumpout with Michael before he came up and had another little jumpout here. We haven’t trialled him because he had the jumpout down there and a trial as well but he has had some grass work. The jumpout brought him along nicely.”

A wet winter in Northern NSW means Master Artist will face rain affected conditions but the trainer isn’t concerned.

Master Artist was a narrow runner-up on a Heavy 9 track at Wagga last prep and is also placed on soft going.

“He has got some heavy form so that’s why we will go around,” Lee said.

“I know he is first-up but he has had a bit of work so he should be ready to go.”
Beautiful Jo is another horse in her first preparation for Lee and lines up for her second start for the stable from barrier 13 in the The Lismore App Maiden Handicap (1200m).

Lee was impressed with the daughter of Rothesay’s first-up showing when she got back from a tricky draw before doing her best work late to finish sixth in a 1200m event at Casino.

“She is drawn wide again but her run the other day was ­really good,” Lee said.

“Hopefully she doesn’t get too far back but she will have to go back from the draw and I think she should race well too.

“We will get out wide at Lismore. We came through them the other day on that bad track at Casino but we will probably get out a little bit in the middle of the track this time so she will get a crack at them.”

Apprentice Shae Wilkes rides Beautiful Jo with Justin Huxtable on Master Artist.

Originally published as Hawkesbury preview: Will Freedman finds suitable race for Cold Brew to score maiden win