Freedman relieved he bypassed Group 1 with Skybird

Trainer Mitch Freedman admitted to some second-guessing last week regarding his decision to forgo a Group 1 engagement for his promising sprinter, Skybird.

The $2 million Manikato Stakes, which had been a potential second-up option for Skybird, did not end up being contested on the soft track that appeared likely earlier in the week, paving the way for Jimmysstar's dominant victory.

In hindsight, Freedman was content with his choice to save Skybird from a clash with that established star and is now keen to unleash her in this Saturday's $300,000 Group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. Heavy rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday, making a wet track highly probable.

"We were disappointed when the rain was coming last week and thought it might have been a wet track, but as it turned out they raced on a good track and the rail was out a long way," Freedman stated.

"She's going to get in there with a nice weight on Saturday and we like the set-up of going back to Flemington with her."

The Gilgai Stakes, where Skybird is set to carry the minimum weight of 55kg, will be her first appearance back at Flemington since her career-defining triumph on a Soft 7 surface in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) in February of the previous year.

"Injury, circumstance and a number of different things," Freedman explained when questioned about her absence from Flemington.

"But we're looking forward to getting her back there. The 1200 is probably at the upper end of her preferred trip, but if she gets the right sort of run she'll run it out strongly."

Skybird comes into the Gilgai Stakes having raced second-up from the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), where she adopted a position closer to the lead than is her usual style and battled on to finish sixth, trailing the winner My Gladiola by 3-1/4 lengths. Freedman was impressed with her performance in an 850m jumpout at Ararat last Thursday.

"She was getting a bit gross on me at home and I couldn't do too much more with her, so we just wanted to give her a stimulating piece of work and a trip away from home and it seems to have done the job," he added.

Skybird is currently the early favourite for the Gilgai Stakes, which also boasts Oakleigh Plate runner-up Hedged, Perth's Smooth Chino, and the previous year's victor War Machine. Explore online bookmakers for the latest racing betting markets.