Add CategoryANTHONY Freedman admits he is in a quandary assessing how former Japanese galloper Ambitious will perform in Saturday’s Australian Cup, his debut in this country.
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“All I can tell you is I’ll know a lot more about him after the race. Until then, I’m not really sure,” Freedman said.
This season, Darren Weir’s former Japanese gallopers, Tosen Stardom and Brave Smash, have won Group 1s.
But Timeform Australia rating expert Gary Crispe said Ambitious would be the best-performed Japanese horse to race here.
“He’s got serious form in Japan,” Crispe said.
“He’s beaten Kitasan Black. He’s been competitive against stars such as Maurice and Neorealism as well as Lovely Day, Duramente and Real Steel, who are in the top echelon of Japanese gallopers.”
Freedman said he was still learning about Ambitious, who has firmed from $21 to $18 with TAB for the Australian Cup.
“He’s very fit and very well, but it’s hard to get a line on him because he’s a lazy worker,” Freedman said.
“He’ll be better in the spring. He’s there to run a good enough race, but where that gets him is hard to say.
“I’m not even certain he has acclimatised. We’ll know where he stands after the race.”