Winning Horse: Open Minded (NZ)

4yoG Jimmy Choux (NZ) - Hidden Passion (Aus)(Desert Prince (Ire))

12 starts - 7 wins 1 third 1 fourth $255165

Other Wins

1st Moonee Valley Adapt Aust. Summer Series-Bm78 1200m (2021)

1st Sale Viatek Sale (Bm78) 1200m (2021)

1st Caulfield Neds Split Multis (Bm70) 1200m (2021)

1st Sandown-Lakeside Ladbrokes Odds (Bm70) 1200m (2020)

1st Cranbourne R&C Asphalt & Paving Hcp (C1) 1300m (2019)

1st Yarra Valley Bet365 Protest Promise Mdn 1200m (2019) (Debut Run)

Race Result:

1st: Open Minded (A & S Freedman/D Thornton) - $9.50

2nd: Superium (Team Hawkes/J McNeil) - $4.40
3rd: Defiant Dancer (P Stokes/L King) - $14

Winning Time: 1:10.26 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: Long Neck x Long Head

Winning Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman (Sam speaking)

“He’s done a really good job. He won his first three starts for us then he was a little bit in the wilderness for six months or so. We put the blinkers on him and that’s when he really turned around. It’s a big thrill for the whole stable. It’s never easy to keep these horses winning as they rise in class. Dream Thoroughbreds have been through the whole process to pick out some races for him and it’s been a really good team effort.”

Happy owners: “It’s a big thrill. I think its a testament to having crowds back on track and owners back here, it’s hugely exciting. For twelve months or so we’ve been cheering them on our own so it’s nice to have the owners here again.

What’s next: “We had a race picked out in a couple of weeks but it might be out of his rating range now. We thought he came here a little bit soft in condition and that last 50 (metres) he was really out on his feet.

“He’s a dangerous horse if you leave him alone and have his own way in front because he can really start upping the tempo and sustain a solid run all the way to the line. His pedigree says he should get over a lot further but he’s been dynamic at this sort of trip so being kept on the fresher side and kept to the 1300-1400 metres, he’ll be very effective.

Winning Jockey: Damien Thornton

“He’s done a really good job. He was flying before he had his little freshen up and it did him the world of good. He was starting to think about it a little bit and he’s come back at the right time of the year. He doesn't mind a bit of give in the track. That rain pre race was probably perfect.

“He’s not the best moving horse so he appreciates the give. He breaks them up from the 600 to the 1200. He’s pretty tough so he’s been able to hang on his last 400. He’s flying.

“He’s pretty cruisy albeit you have to make him do it a bit early. Once he finds that rhythm and gets into that high cruising speed that he’s good from there. He’s pretty casual.

“I rode him last week without blinkers and, to be honest, he was pretty useless. He was good to the line.”