After making a winning career debut at Sandown last June, we pondered whether the Dundeel colt Elliptical was another Super Seth.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt went close to emulating Super Seth was edged out by Golden Mile in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas and again by Sharp 'n' Smart in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.
Making his 2023 bow under Blake Shinn in Saturday’s Group III C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, Elliptical came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the Almanzor (FR) gelding Holymanz by a short-neck with the Written Tycoon gelding Maximillius a head back in third.
“We thought he was going well, but he drew very bad,” Anthony Freedman said.
“We just wanted him to be strong late, and if we won, that was great. So to get up and do it points to good things.
“I think he toughened up in the spring. He was a bit of a baby, and we ran him in the good race on the last day (Champions Stakes), and it probably toughened him up.
“It showed today that he’s come back. He hadn’t won a race in a while. He’d obviously run well, but he needed to start winning, and he did.
“The (Australian Guineas) is the obvious way to go in two weeks, and then he’ll probably head to Sydney and see what he can do there.”
Elliptical is owned by a partnership that includes Cambridge Stud's Brendan Lindsay and Jo Lindsay, who also race the runner-up Holymanz.
Bred by Phoenix Broodmare Farm, Elliptical was a $200,000 pinhook by Newgate Farm's James Carey at the 2020 National Weanling Sale.
Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Anthony Freedman Racing/Blue Sky Bloodstock P/L (FBAA) shelled out $380,000 for the son of Dundeel when consigned by Newgate to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the second foal and first runner for the Testa Rossa mare Marquise Da Rossa whose only win in five starts for Saab Hasan came at her debut over 1100m at Ballarat.
From the family of Marauding and Biscalowe, Marquise Da Rossa is one of eight winners from nine to race from the Danehill mare Make My Dane, who had two stakes-placegetters, Lordag (Any Given Saturday) and Singularity (Not a Single Doubt).
Phoenix Broodmare Farm has sold the last three foals of Marquise Da Rossa to the National Weanling Sale.
Tasman Bloodstock purchased her Grunt colt in 2021 for $40,000, and this year Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) outlaid $120,000 for the Castelvecchio filly.
Freedman Racing/Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) went to $180,000 for the Grunt colt consigned by Coolmore Stud to the 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Marquise Da Rossa foaled a So You Think filly last spring and revisited the Coolmore champion.
Elliptical is the 22nd stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel.
