Headquarters for Freedman's Command

The Sunday Age

Sunday October 18, 2009

By MICHAEL SHARKIE

PROGRESSIVE sprinter First Command added to his already sparkling record with a tough victory in the group 2 Perri Cutten Sprint yesterday, prompting trainer Lee Freedman to raise the bar for bigger spoils over the Flemington carnival.First Command has been a revelation since Freedman convinced the horse's owners to make a permanent gear change and geld the formerly wayward colt. The results have been astonishing, with the horse registering seven wins and a second placing from his next eight starts."He's a serious horse. The lack of speed didn't suit him but he was still too good. He looked a million bucks today and he raced accordingly," said winning jockey Dwayne Dunn."He does nothing at home but on race day he's a different horse."Freedman is keen to see First Command in a truly run sprint race, and said that the dawdling pace of yesterday's race played against his horse despite the end result."Strangely enough I'd prefer to see him in a stronger-run race, I'd prefer to have him ridden off the speed," Freedman said."I'd love to get him in a race like the Lightning (Stakes) where there's a ton of speed in the race, I think then you'd see a very good horse."Freedman will now target the group 2 Salinger Stakes on Derby day, and is hopeful First Command can improve again for what is likely to be a very strong race."There's an 81-year-old still winning cups and improving horses, so you'd like to think that this bloke can improve again," he said.�Sydneysider McClintock brought his good form south yesterday when leading all the way to take the group 3 Betfair Stakes.Trainer Mark De Montfort said McClintock was at his best when able to free-wheel in front and that the booking of regular rider Glyn Schofield had been in the horse's favour."I was quietly confident today and when he got the lead like he did I was pretty happy. Glyn rode him perfectly and the horse still has plenty of improvement left in him," De Montfort said.McClintock will head towards a similar race on Derby day, along with runner-up Rightfully Yours and third placegetter Kiloton.�Darren Weir enjoyed a rare spring carnival win when well-bred filly Sublimity won her second race from three starts.Sublimity, a filly by Testa Rossa from the good producer Rather Droll, swamped her rivals in the opening race to put herself in the picture for black-type events over Melbourne Cup week."We thought she ran pretty well here last start but she trialled brilliantly at home on Tuesday and we came here pretty confident of a good result today," Weir said."She's got a lot of ability and I've got a real good opinion of her, she's earned her chance at a bigger race now."