Former Melbourne Cup favourite Speed Gifted will strip slightly heavier and completely acclimatised for his autumn campaign launch in the Group Two St George Stakes at Caulfield.However trainer Lee Freedman said it would be a bonus if the former English galloper won first-up on Saturday with his major assignments in Sydney in the next couple of months."He looks very well and is working very well but how he will go at weight-for-age on a firmish track at Caulfield tomorrow I'm not sure," Freedman
Former Melbourne Cup favourite Speed Gifted will strip slightly heavier and completely acclimatised for his autumn campaign launch in the Group Two St George Stakes at Caulfield.
However trainer Lee Freedman said it would be a bonus if the former English galloper won first-up on Saturday with his major assignments in Sydney in the next couple of months.
"He looks very well and is working very well but how he will go at weight-for-age on a firmish track at Caulfield tomorrow I'm not sure," Freedman said.
"If he happened to win it would be a bonus.
"His goals are further down the track in Sydney over more ground and hopefully on softer tracks."
In light of his excellent record when fresh, Speed Gifted is at $5.50 for the 1800m St George with TAB Sportsbet.
Only Heart Of Dreams is ahead of him in the market at $3.
Speed Gifted has has won three of his four first-up runs but Freedman is mindful that his two wins when resuming in Australia were in easier races at Flemington in May and September last year.
Last spring the Montjeu gelding battled hamstring and feet problems but still won the Group One Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick before pulling up badly after finishing unplaced in the Cox Plate.
"Those issue are behind him now," Freedman said.
"They were things that were not going to allow him to continue on in the spring but with rest, a bit of ultrasound, shoeing, and wading in salt water at the beach we have put them to bed."
Freedman said Speed Gifted was a light, athletic horse but he was now about 15kg heavier than when he won The Metropolitan.
"Back then his coat hadn't come through but he spelled very well and he has acclimatised now," Freedman said.
He said the indications were that Speed Gifted would make a good weight-for-age horse despite his Cox Plate failure which was inconclusive.
"He does work in a similar fashion to weight-for-age horses I have had in the past," Freedman said.
The Group One Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 6 would be Speed Gifted's last run before heading to Sydney where he is nominated for the $2.25 million Group One BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on April 3.