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Trainer Michael Freedman's already strong arsenal of three-year-olds just got stronger with the Singapore debut win of Masthead in the $65,000 Graduation Stakes over 1000m on the Polytrack on Sunday.
Ridden by Joao Moreira, Masthead showed an impressive turn of foot before scoring by five-and-a-half lengths over Golden Beach (Ng Kok Keong) with Andiko (John Powell) holding on for third a length-and-a-quarter back.
Masthead ran the 1000m journey in 58.88 secs under warm conditions.
The three-year-old colt came up from Australia with high credentials, with more than A$600,000 in prizemoney to his credit, but as the winner of only one race when previously prepared in Melbourne, firstly by Freedman's brother Lee and then by Anthony.
But the colt had run second to Sepoy in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield and fourth to the same horse in the Group 1 Golden Slipper at Rosehill last year and at his last start before coming to Singapore had finished second to Soul in the Listed Kevin Heffernan Stakes over 1300m at Sandown.
Soul has since been shipped off to Dubai, joining the powerful Godolphin team, and was successful at Meydan last Thursday.
Freedman already has classy three-year-olds like Super Easy, Mr Big, Chateauneuf Dupape and Cash Luck in his care and Masthead certainly looks as good as those young gallopers.
“The important thing with him today was that he did everything right,” said Freedman.
“He could be a bit slow from barriers when he was trained by my brothers back in Australia and used to get further back than they wanted.
“He jumped well today and Joao was able to put him right up on the speed.
“He's going to derive a lot of benefit from that run and I wanted Joao to ride him all the way to the line.
“He had only won the one race previously and I said to Joao to make sure he kept his mind on the job.”
Freedman said he was not sure whether he would head to the first leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge – the Group 3 $200,000 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint over 1200m on March 30 – with the colt.
He already has the unbeaten seven-time winner Super Easy earmarked for that race.
“It's a nice problem to have,” said Freedman of his large arsenal of three-year-olds.
“I'm not sure which way we'll head with this bloke just yet. I'll see how he pulls up and have a talk to the owners.
“There are a few options available for him but we'll see how he does before we make up our minds.”
Moreira, who notched a mini milestone for the 2012 season when he was successful aboard Special Encore in the $55,000 Class 4 Stakes over 1600m a race earlier, described Masthead as a “very good horse”.
“Michael was a bit concerned about him at the barriers before the race but he was on his best behaviour,” said Moreira.
“He travelled well and he started applying the pressure before the turn and he had very nice sprint when I asked him.
“Three weeks ago he wasn't even ready to barrier trial, so Michael and his staff have done a really good job getting him ready.”
Asked if he could separate Super Easy – on whom he has seven victories – and Masthead, Moreira wouldn't bite.
“I don't want to compare the two horses,” said Moreira. “They are both very good horses.
“In some respects it's good to have a problem like this and it will all sort itself out in time.”
By Written Tycoon from the Redoute's Choice mare Balsamico, Masthead is raced by the Mummify Stable who also teamed with Freedman for success on Friday night with Chateauneuf Dupape.