Randwick conditions under watch by Freedman for Surround Stakes entries

A number of trainers including Michael Freedman are watching the Randwick track closely with Apocalyptic set to face Tempted in the Surround Stakes.

His Group 1 victor filly plans to take her place come what may, yet Freedman notes his assuredness would wane should the footing slip much further from the soft 7 noted Friday.

"I'm looking forward to seeing her back there. I am just keeping an eye on the weather," Freedman said.

"Anything in the soft range would be OK, but if we got into that heavy range it may change things a wee bit.

"You probably can't not run because she has never been on heavy. But I get the feeling she wouldn't want it too wet."

Apocalyptic, victor in three Princess Series legs last spring, returned as favourite but second to Savvy Hallie upon resuming in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

The trainer deemed it "good enough" amid a front-run bias, heartened further by her sharp progress afterward as a three-year-old.

In the Surround Stakes (1400m), she'll tackle Savvy Hallie once more plus Tempted, both untested further than 1200m.

Freedman spots minimal weaknesses in those foes, backing the market's $1.60 elect Tempted on her latest efforts.

"I know a few people have queried Tempted at 14 (1400 metres), but to my eye she looks like she'd run it out pretty solidly," he said.

"She's run second in an Everest and was obviously impressive first-up. She's the one that's got the really good from going into it."

Freedman lacks certainty on Apocalyptic in slop but expects no issues from Manaal in the Guy Walter Stakes (1400m), with three triumphs from five on yielding or worse.

After placing second resuming in the Triscay Stakes (1200m), the mare looms large at Randwick under lighter imposts.

"She's a terrific mare. She's always thereabouts," Freedman said.

"She has a slightly tougher draw than what she's had the last few, but if we do get a bit of rain and the track is genuinely soft, it might offset that."

The stable sends Hardanger into the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) as a hardy filly primed to perform, and considers wide gate Outspan for the Skyline Stakes (1200m) versus holding for Canberra's Black Opal Stakes (1200m) in two weeks.

"It was a pretty ordinary set up for him two weeks ago, unfortunately, and it doesn't look much better for him this week if we don't get a lot of scratchings," Freedman said.

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