Michael Freedman’s autumn masterclass: Big wins and a boutique formula

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Operating with a deliberately smaller team, Freedman delivered one of the most effective strike rates of the carnival, headlined by a breathtaking Golden Slipper win with Marhoona (Snitzel), a Group 2 victory from rising colt Enriched (I Am Invincible), and strong Group placings from Time To Boogie (Sooboog) and Ducasse (Trapeze Artist). From just 11 Group runners, his stable recorded a Group winners strike rate of 18 per cent and 36 per cent placegetter strike rate - elite numbers by any measure.

“It’s been a terrific carnival,” Freedman said. “For a relatively small stable, it’s been great to be able to get amongst it.”

It’s a result that proves his training philosophy, focused on precision, patience, and personal involvement is not only sustainable, but increasingly successful at the sport’s highest level. While others in the industry chase volume, Freedman continues to show that small numbers can still result in big returns.

“Anytime you can be winning races like the Golden Slipper, it’s not just a buzz for myself but the whole stable,” he said.

“It’s a very big team effort. Those sorts of things don’t happen without the hard work and dedication that the staff put towards it. It’s a real boost for the whole stable and puts a pep in everyone’s step. It was a big thrill.”

Golden Slipper glory with Marhoona

The crowning moment of Freedman’s carnival came when Emirates Park homebred filly Marhoona (Snitzel) stormed home to claim the $5 million Golden Slipper, Australia’s richest and most prestigious 2-year-old race.

Her preparation wasn’t conventional, with just two starts leading into the Slipper, but it was classic Freedman. Patient and built around the individual needs of the horse.

“With Marhoona’s preparation, my hand was forced a little bit because after her first run and win at Canterbury, she returned with a big chunk of her front foot missing,” Freedman explained.

“We just had to bide our time and my farrier Scott Bryce did a terrific job getting her back.

“That meant she went a month between runs into the Reisling Stakes. I certainly didn’t want to look at running her a week before the Slipper in the Magic Night. Then I guess we got pretty lucky, getting into the field with as little prizemoney as she had.

“She's a special filly to do what she did.”

When asked about her future and the potential of a race like The Everest, Freedman played it cool.

“It’s such a long way off. I said tongue-in-cheek that I wouldn’t be a commercial trainer if I didn’t throw Marhoona’s name out there, but really it’s about getting her back and seeing how she comes up in the spring,” he said.

While The Everest is an entirely different challenge, three horses that have won the Golden Slipper have taken the leap out of 2-year-old grade to take their place in the richest race on turf in their next preparation. It’s a bold move and the results have varied.

Most recently, Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) impressed with a bold performance in the 2024 Everest, finishing a gallant fourth against older, seasoned sprinters. In contrast, She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), the 2017 Slipper winner, struggled to match the pace in the 2017 Everest, finishing 11th. Shinzo (Snitzel), who claimed Slipper honours in 2023, also found the step up challenging, running ninth in that year’s Everest.

Freedman is well aware of the challenges that lie ahead for any horse making the transition from a 2-year-old sprint to the testing atmosphere of The Everest.

“Right now, it’s all about seeing how Marhoona develops,” he explained. “There’s still a lot of time, and with her potential and the right preparation, anything is possible. But we’ll just take it one step at a time and see how she comes up.”

Enriched: From raw potential to genuine stallion prospect

Another major highlight came via Enriched, who confirmed his class with a dominant win in the G2 Arrowfield Sprint.

The son of champion sire I Am Invincible has always hinted at top-level ability, finishing third in the G2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington behind First Settler (Written Tycoon) before being tested at Group 1 level in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in the Spring. Now, with a Group 2 victory on the board, he’s shaping as one of the most exciting stallion prospects in the country.

“Even at his first start as a 2-year-old last autumn, he was matching it with the likes of Switzerland on the bend,” Freedman said.

“He then weakened out of it and pulled up really sore, more or less from the head to his toe. He was just a big baby trying to grow into himself so we gave him a nice long spell.

“He had a nice enough preparation in the Spring but he is obviously now really hitting his straps as an Autumn 3-year-old.”

But it’s not just his improvement that’s catching attention, it’s his pedigree.

Enriched is the third winner from four to race for Miss Atom Bomb (Encosta De Lago), an unraced mare who is a half-sister to world champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), the four-time Australian Horse of the Year. She’s also a half to Group 3 winner El Divino (Snitzel), giving Enriched one of the most prized bloodlines in the Australian Stud Book.

“It was terrific to notch up a Group 2 win with him,” Freedman said. “With a pedigree like he’s got - by I Am Invincible and out of that incredible family - you’d think he might attract the attention of a few studs.”

As for what’s next?

“We will possibly have another crack at Group 1 level with him,” Freedman said.

“I just want to spend this week having a bit of a look at him. There’s not really that much around for these sprinting colts at this time of year. We could look at the Doomben 10,000, but that’s at weight-for-age against the older horses or maybe the Fred Best Classic, though I’m not sure that really enhances his profile. One of the options might be to spell him and target the spring. We’ll have a think this week.”

Pallaton and the art of the reset

Another 2-year-old who turned heads early doors for the Freedman stable was Pallaton (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who unfortunately had his campaign curtailed by a throat infection and a tough run in the G2 Todman Stakes. However, Freedman is hopeful we will see the best of him next preparation.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Pallaton,” Freedman said.

“He picked up a bit of a throat infection after his first run, and then over-raced badly in the Todman after getting bumped at the jump. It just didn’t work out for him, but he’s very talented. He’s enjoying a good spell and hopefully we’ll have him back firing for the spring. We still have high hopes for him.”

Why the boutique model works and who makes it tick

Michael Freedman has made a conscious decision to keep his stable small and he has no plans to change that anytime soon.

“When I came back from Asia, I made a conscious effort to recreate the capped 60-horse model I had there,” he explained.

“I don’t want dozens and dozens of staff and hundreds of horses. It means you’ll never win a trainers’ premiership, but you can win the races that matter and that’s what we focus on.”

That tightly run, hands-on approach has delivered Group 1 results and it also allows Freedman to stay deeply involved in every part of a horse’s preparation. But, as he’s quick to point out, he’s not doing it alone.

“I’m very fortunate to have a great bunch of staff from top to bottom,” Freedman said. “Ben Duckworth and Sophie Johnson are two of the more senior staff, and Wajid Ali has been with me since the Stay Inside days.”

Ben, who comes from a strong thoroughbred background via his family’s Fairview Park Stud, has emerged as a key member of the team with long-term ambitions in the training ranks. Sophie runs much of the day-to-day operation, from jockey bookings to owner relations and admin.

“Ben’s come a long way very quickly. He’s a terrific young bloke who gives his all. Sophie is incredibly efficient. She’s a real go-getter and loved by the clients. They’re a huge part of the operation, and I can’t speak highly enough of the whole team.”

It’s a stable built on quality, not just of horses, but of people. And that’s why Freedman’s boutique model continues to deliver when it counts most.

Yearlings, sales, and what’s coming next

Freedman was very active once again this year across all the major yearling sales, securing a number of promising types for his team of supportive owners. These sales provide a crucial opportunity for Freedman to continue rebuilding his stable year after year with the right horses that align with his philosophy of quality over quantity.

“The sales have been great,” Freedman says. “I’ve got a really good bunch of owners backing me, and it’s allowed me to buy some well-bred, good types. One of the fillies I’m most excited about is an Extreme Choice filly we picked up late at Easter, Lot 326 out of Cicatrix. She was a lovely filly and obviously by a freakish stallion. Another is an Extreme Choice out of Group 1 winner Speak Fondly, which we picked up from the Magic Millions. I thought she was one of the standout fillies of that sale. They would be two nicer horses we were able to purchase but when you see homebreds like Pallaton and Marhoona come out and get the job done, they can really come from anywhere. I like to keep an open mind in that sense.”

Gallery: Some of Michael Freedman's 2025 yearling purchases

Freedman shared that his approach to buying horses has evolved with his experience. While he still values the fundamentals, soundness, temperament, and pedigree - he’s not as rigid in his expectations of perfect physical attributes. He’s seen horses that were less than ideal in terms of conformation become stars on the track over many seasons, and this flexibility has helped him find diamonds in the rough.

“These days I’m more forgiving when it comes to conformation,” Freedman said.

“Back in the day, you were always trying to find the perfectly straight, well conformed horse. But I think over the years of seeing very nice horses come through the stable, not just now but also back in the day with my brothers, those horses were far from perfect in their limbs but it didn’t stop them running.”

Looking ahead, Freedman remains committed to his quality-over-quantity approach. He believes that maintaining a focused, personalised program for each horse is the key to sustained success.