An outside draw has left trainer Michael Freedman in two minds about whether to start unraced filly Mumbai Muse in the Widden Stakes at Rosehill, or to wait seven days and take on the males at her home track of Randwick.
The filly has shaped well in two trials, including the most recent when she sat off the speed and overpowered the leaders in a 792m Warwick Farm heat.
While Freedman has a good record in the Widden Stakes (1100m), a race he has won twice with Teaspoon in 2017 and Queen Of The Ball 12 months ago, he is likely to wait until race morning to decide whether Mumbai Muse gets a chance to add to his tally.
“She has always been a filly we have liked. Her two trials to date have both been pretty good trials and I do like the way she is coming up,” Freedman said.
“She’s a lovely Zoustar filly, it’s just a matter of whether we think it’s the right way to go, kicking off from that wide gate first time out, or whether we wait for another day.
“There is the option of waiting for the 1000-metre race (Lonhro Plate) next week against the colts.”
Brett Prebble has been booked to partner Mumbai Muse, a $525,000 purchase at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale and half-sister to dual Group placegetter Mumbai Jewel.
Regardless of where she kicks off her career, Freedman believes the two-year-old will make the grade and has more scope than his previous Widden Stakes winners, who were purely sprinters.
“She is a very different type of filly to those two. They were speed-type fillies whereas this filly, later on, could stretch out to a mile,” he said.
“She is a filly with a good future, it’s just a matter of whether we kick off her career on Saturday or wait.
“I’ll have a look at the race over the next day or two and see what unfolds between now and Saturday morning.”
The Group 3 feature has attracted a smart field that includes Gimcrack Stakes placegetters Perfect Proposal and Divine Glory, the highly-regarded Steel City from the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace yard and the Annnabel Neasham-trained Learning To Fly who won her most recent trial in slick time.