The Freedman family has enjoyed a lengthy and successful association with the Godolphin racing arm of the international player and together on Saturday they celebrated G1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond S. success at Caulfield with Lyre (Lonhro).
“It goes back 10 or 15 years and we’ve had a lot of horses for them,” Freedman said.
“Then they went another way and we didn’t have horses for them for probably seven or eight years.
“We’ve always remained very good friends. We kept talking and when Vin came along he pushed for me to get some yearlings and it’s worked out great.”
“We kept talking and when Vin came along he pushed for me to get some yearlings and it’s worked out great.” – Anthony Freedman.
The Godolphin class of 2018 to arrive at the Freedman door included Lyre and she couldn’t be faulted by the experienced horseman.
Trainer Anthony Freedman with jockey Luke Currie
“They spoke to me about the middle of last year and said they would be sending me some yearlings,” he said.
“It was a bit out of the blue and I was thrilled to get them. We didn’t have huge numbers at the time.
“They sent me six and unfortunately we lost one who had a problem and couldn’t be saved. She (Lyre) is the only one we’ve run.”
“She came to us, as they all did, in beautiful condition and beautifully educated.” – Anthony Freedman.
Lyre is a daughter of Erato (Street Cry {Ire}), who is out of the G1 Thousand Guineas and G1 Queen of the Turf S. winner Mnemosyne (Encosta de Lago), and is a three-quarter sister to the G1 Stradbroke H. and G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup winner Impending.
“She’s a home-bred and they have great systems in place,” Freedman said. “She came to us, as they all did, in beautiful condition and beautifully educated.”
Lyre made her first appearance at Flemington on New Year’s Day finishing fifth and then won a maiden at Sale. She announced her arrival on the black type scene with victory in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude ahead of Saturday’s success.
Lyre following her G1 Blue Diamond win
“It was a matter of developing and improving her into this race,” Freedman said. “She really made that necessary improvement and that extra couple of lengths.
“She really made that necessary improvement and that extra couple of lengths.” – Anthony Freedman.
“It’s more about not losing them backwards and she clearly didn’t go backwards and went on with it.
“She was great and the ride worked out very well. She was probably a bit further back than I wanted, but as they say all’s well that ends well.”
Freedman’s son and right hand man Sam said there was a sense of timing around Lyre’s Blue Diamond bid for glory.
“She’s been thriving and had some time down at Pinecliff and she was in great order.”
“She’s been thriving and had some time down at Pinecliff and she was in great order.” – Sam Freedman.
Lyre settled in back division of the field, but rider Luke Currie was able to get an ideal tow into the race and the filly did the rest.
“It was a great effort by my manager Travis Johnson to get me on,” he said. “He chased Anthony and Sam up for the ride.
“She jumped well and I knew there would be a lot of speed in the race. I didn’t want to bustle here and got a pair further back than I had hoped, but I had the horses around me to follow into the race.
“I was a bit concerned before the corner, but she picked up and quickened really well once we’d cornered.”
“I was a bit concerned before the corner, but she picked up and quickened really well once we’d cornered.” – Luke Currie.
Lyre bagged the Blue Diamond by half a-length from Lindsay Park’s Lankan Star (Nicconi) with the Chris Bieg-trained colt Free Of Debt (Unencumbered) a bold third.
“She was great and peaked on the day,” Lankan Star’s co-trainer David Hayes said.
“That’s the trick with these 2-year-old races and she peaked on the day. She ran a personal best and another 50 metres she would nearly have won it.
“I’d say we’d head to Sydney with her and hope the Blue Diamond form stays strong, I think it will.”
Godolphin’s Athiri (Lonhro) finished fourth ahead of the late closers Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) and Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible), who suffered an interrupted run in the straight.
