Michael Freedman filly Codetta steps up in class as she pursues fourth consecutive win

Michael Freedman filly Codetta, a half-sister to late star Riff Rocket, will strive for a fourth straight win when she steps up to Saturday city grade at Randwick.

Codetta, the half-sister to late star Riff Rocket, can add to her own impressive three-year-old record with a fourth consecutive win at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Michael Freedman-trained filly faces her most difficult assignment to date in the Petaluma Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m).

Codetta has earned a crack at Sydney Saturday level after shedding her maiden last preparation as a two-year-old before winning back-to-back races at Kembla Grange and Canterbury this time in.

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A daughter of Nicconi, Codetta is out of Missile Coda, which notably produced Riff Rocket.

Riff Rocket was just the fourth horse to win the Victoria Derby-Australian Derby double earlier this year, since Sydney’s edition was moved to the autumn.

The gelding died in the spring due to complications from colic surgery.

Codetta races in the same silks of Debbie Kepitis’ Woppitt Bloodstock and while it’s hard to match the exploits of her Group 1-winning brother, she has shown considerable potential herself on track.

“She has definitely improved each preparation,” Freedman said.

“Early on she wasn’t really showing us a great deal but she has kept on improving and on Saturday, it’s a decent step up in grade but she has earnt that off her first two runs back.

“From a nice draw, Zac (Wadick) should be able to give her every chance.

“It’s a decent step up in grade there on Saturday and we will get an idea if she can step up to an even better grade after that.”

Codetta is a $10 chance in a race where she will take on several Magic Millions 3YO Guineas contenders including Dawn Service ($3.40 favourite), Getafix ($7) as well as Diddle Dumpling ($7.50).

Codetta will bid to make it four wins in a row when she heads to Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Freedman also has a pair of contenders lining up for Darby Thoroughbreds with Time To Boogie ($4.40) and Flying Destiny ($15).

Time To Boogie is first-up from a 336-day spell after getting an infection following a throat operation.

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The son of Sooboog has proven to be a dynamite first-up performer in the past with two wins and two placings from four starts.

Freedman scratched Time To Boogie from the Rosehill Gardens meeting two weeks ago but it proved to be a blessing in disguise for his five-year-old.

“Time To Boogie has been off the scene for most of the year and even the other day we had to pull him out because of a bit of a temperature but as it turned out I wouldn’t have probably ran him on a downgraded Heavy 10 anyway,” Freedman said.

“He is a good genuine sprinter. He is coming back from a wind operation earlier in the year.

“I’ve been happy with him and he’s fit and ready to go on Saturday but as he normally will do, he will improve deeper into the preparation.”

Time To Boogie will have his first start in nearly a year. Picture: Bradley Photos

Freedman will use Zac Wadick’s 2kg claim to get Flying Destiny in with 59kg in his second-up assignment in the TAB Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m).

Flying Destiny was only beaten half a length first-up over 1100m at Rosehill Gardens last month by Eye Of The Fire.

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Flying Destiny has drawn out in barrier 13 but Freedman believes his racing pattern should ensure the gate is no concern.

“He is the kind of horse from any gate that will roll forward and put himself on speed,” he said.

“It doesn’t change the way you ride him that much.

“I thought he was really good and if he had steered a straighter course there first-up he probably goes close to winning and probably just drifted off the track.

“He is in good order and is a genuine on-speed horse.”

Flying Destiny has been a model of consistency throughout his career with five wins and nine placings in 18 starts but only one of those have come on his home track at Randwick.

He was second in a 1200m event at the famed Sydney racecourse back in September.

Originally published as Michael Freedman filly Codetta steps up in class as she pursues fourth consecutive win