Cool Chap represents Lee and Anthony Freedman’s bid to go back-to-back in the Listed VRC St Leger(2800m) on Anzac Day.
Lee Freedman broke a 25-year drought in the race last year when Authoritarian saluted, having previously trained Frontier Boy to success in the event – when it was a Group 2 – in 1990.
The stable somewhat stumbled across their leading hope in the race this year, after picking up Cool Chap from the suspended Peter Moody in March.
Since joining Freedman Racing, he posted a city win at Caulfield on March 26, before finishing runner-up in the Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Sandown.
Lee said he doesn’t have too many concerns about the further rise in trip for the three-year-old gelding.
“He’s a really lovely little horse, very genuine,” Freedman said.
“He has to run the trip, but he’s a very relaxed horse in his races and he should be one of the ones to beat.
“He’s a High Chaparral with a good pedigree.
“He’s got a good action and a good temperament, so he could make a nice little stayer in time.”
Cool Chap will jump from barrier 10 for Daniel Stackhouse, while early favourite Etymology jumps from barrier 13 for Godolphin trainer John O’Shea and Craig Williams.
Hardern (David Brideoake) and Joueur (James Cummings) are third and fourth in the line of betting, and have drawn six and nine respectively.
In the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m), five of the 13 runners in the race for two-year-olds are winners.
Each of Pyx Chamber (barrier one), Biased Witness (five), Invincible Al (seven) and Throssell (12) are last-start winners.
Mr Markou (nine) won on debut in Adelaide in October, and has placed three times out of four in the New Year without winning again for Tony McEvoy.
McEvoy will also be hoping Monday is the day Big Memory can win again, the Mornington Cup runner-up the clear top-rater in the field for the $90,000 ANZAC Cup (2530m).
Big Memory hasn’t won since the 2014 Herbert Power Stakes, but has twice finished runner-up in the Mornington feature and also ran second to Signoff in the ’14 Lexus Stakes.
– racing.com
