Minutes after the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Extreme Choice colt Stay Inside made an explosive debut at Randwick, Anthony and Sam Freedman countered with the Flying Artie colt Artorius who came with a barnstorming finish from the rear of the field to open his winning account over 1300m at Sandown-Hillside.
At his career debut, Artorius looked to be fairly outpointed when second to the Manhattan Rain colt Jigsaw who was made a Breednet One To Watch at Geelong on January 7.
The son of Flying Artie took plenty away from that experience. Given a patient ride by Mark Zahra, Artorius launched down the centre of the track to win running away by four and a half lengths from Foxplay’s three-quarter brother El Rocko (Fastnet Rock).
Godolphin’s Shooting To Win filly Picarones shouldered her topweight into third place, a nose behind El Rocko.
Sam Freedman said the stable would consider freshening Artorius up for the Blue Diamond Stakes. The Group 1 feature at Caulfield was won in 2016 by Extreme Choice from stablemate Flying Artie.
“He took some necessary steps forward from his first run where he was very green and eaw and did not know what he was doing,” Sam Freedman said.
“Our horses tend to improve as they get deeper into their two-year-old campaign. The 1300m suited and he showed a very good turn of foot.
“He is bombproof and very straightforward, almost a little too relaxed.
“First-up he was on and off the bridle, so I think to get him to switch on a little more and have some competitive gallops with him in between runs to teach him whats it all about to hit the front and stay in front.
“He still had a good gaze there and will take further improvement off that.
“We will just have to work out where we go – whether we head towards the Blue Diamond although I’m not sure about the 1200m. he might be more of a 1400m horse, but he won so well there we might have to give it some thought.”
Bred by Greg Perry, Artorius was purchased by Anthony Freedman Racing/Blue Sky Bloodstock P/L (FBAA) for $120,000 out of the Vinery Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the second winner from as many to race out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Gracie’s Lass.
Also bred by Perry, Gracie’s Lass is a half-sister to the Group 1 VRC Darley Classic winner Delectation (Shamardal) out of the stakes-winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Grace And Power (USA) who was runner-up in the Grade 1 Hollywood Park Starlet Stakes.
Gracie’s Lass has a colt foal by Written Tycoon and was covered by Deep Field last spring.
Artorius becomes the fourth first-crop winner for Flying Artie. The Group 1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes hero looks to be in a personal battle with his Newgate Farm stablemates Extreme Choice and Capitalist as they try to chase down Shalaa (IRE) for Champion first Crop Sire honours.
