Trainer Lee Freedman (Image: Michael McInally)
Lee Freedman admits his return to Australian racing has been more of a challenge than he expected, but he s more than ready to rise to it.
The Hall Of Fame trainer celebrated his first winner back in Australia on Wednesday when Safeeya landed the prize at Eagle Farm.
Despite his achievements over a sustained period of time in Australia and abroad, the five-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer admits that it hasn t been easy for him to return to the ranks in his homeland and start up again from scratch. Not as fun as you d think it is! Freedman said with a laugh about starting a new stable on the Gold Coast.
Freedman scores first winner since Australian return Trainer Lee Freedman at the launch of the TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival at Eagle Farm. Picture: Tara Croser 03:59am • 07 July 2021
It was a long way from the exhilarating highs of winning five Melbourne Cups, but Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman got on the board at Eagle Farm on Wednesday with his second starter since returning from Singapore.
Freedman had to settle for second when his first runner back, Intrepidacious, narrowly missed in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich last month.
But his second starter, well-backed three-year-old filly Safeeya, did the business when she won the $35,000 Class Three Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
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Under QLD rules, anyone who arrived from Sydney had to isolate for 14 days
A video posted on Twitter showed the duo at a Port Douglas pub on Thursday
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Rags to riches: Bargain buy Queenslander sold to Hong Kong I’ve Bean There in action. Picture: Grant Peters–Trackside Photography. Comments
Trainer Stuart Kendrick and his family have completed a rags to riches story with I’ve Bean There, selling the two-year-old originally purchased for just $13,000 to Hong Kong for a $900,000 bonanza.
I’ve Bean There looked like he was set to be a spring player in Australia, finishing fourth in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) which was won by Captivant at Randwick in April.
I’ve Bean There was only two lengths off the winner and only a neck behind third-placed Converge who went on to win the Group 1 JJ Atkins during the Queensland winter carnival.’
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