The superbly bred
JUAN DIVA left it until late in life to break through at stakes grade, which she achieved with a fighting win in the
Gr3 Eureka Stud WJ Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
A valuable Gr3 success for Juan Diva
Jockey Jason Collett drove the rising 6yo daughter of Snitzel to a three-quarter length win over Prime Candidate (Denman) with Ranges (Shooting To Win) was a further neck back in third.
Trained by the Dynamic Father and Son combination of Richard and William Freedman and wearing the Trelawney Stud colours,
JUAN DIVA advanced her record to
five wins, four seconds, and a third from 20 starts with earnings of $341,940.
“What a lovely filly. She’s had a bit of bad luck with bad draws, but she was down in weight today,” Brian Smith said as he represented the co-trainers.
“She was meant to run at Ipswich last week, but they had the guts to pull her out when the track was so bad. That takes a lot of doing but they got their reward today."
Winning jockey Jason Collett said:
“Fantastic. I had a wide trip and it was a very good effort by her. I had to start asking her to improve before the 600m and I thought this won’t end well.
“She actually came up under me. Richard and Will had her in really good order and I was able to wait until she got into the straight and ask her to improve again.”
Will Freedman has come a long way since his first winner at
Narromine, but the emerging young trainer shared the spoils of his first stakes victory with his dad Richard.
Will Freedman explained that
“It wasn’t a clear cut decision to scratch her from that race last Saturday (Gai Waterhouse Classic). She had drawn well and she was favourite,”
“But she doesn’t go well in soft or shifting conditions and the track had gotten worse throughout the day.
“She was so unlucky last campaign that we wanted to take some of the luck out of it and race her today instead.
“She did it tough today being three wide but as long as she gets the surface to suit, she always puts in a big effort.
“She is getting better with age and as long as she pulls up well and keeps having the desire she will probably race on for another season.”
Will Freedman started training in 2020 at
Scone, with his first winner being the
Dynamic Syndications owned mare
“Time To Dazzle” at Narromine, 450km northwest of Sydney.
TIME TO DAZZLE
Winner ! Will Freedman is on his way as a trainer after Time To Dazzle won
During his
“apprenticeship” at Scone,
Will Freedman trained 45 Winners (15%) and 53 placings (33%) from 296 runners.
A new chapter in the famous Freedman racing dynasty commenced in April 2022 with Will joining forces with father Richard at Rosehill.
It came after Richard and his brother Michael ended their training partnership after three years together.
Will Freedman gave much of the credit for Juan Diva’s breakthrough stakes win to his Dad.
“Richard has done a lot of work with this horse to get her where she is,” Will said.
“I’ve just been along for the ride.
“I will never forget my first winner at Narromine and I will never forget my first Stakes winner at Eagle Farm.
“It’s an absolute privilege to do it with my father.
“I have got a few favours along the way in racing and that’s a fact I certainly don’t take for granted.”
Juan Diva was bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds, Juan Diva was consigned by Segenhoe Stud to the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where she failed to make her
$700,000 reserve.
She is the best of two winners from as many to race out of the top-class Husson (ARG) mare
Peron who was purchased by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds for $610,000 at the 2014 Patinack Dispersal.
Peron won five races highlighted by the Listed Ipswich TC Gai Waterhouse Classic and was multiple Group placed.
A half-sister to the stakes winners
Atmospherical and Gai’s Choice, Peron has an unraced 2yo Deep Impact (JPN) filly named The Way We Were, in training with Peter Moody.
She has a yearling filly by the
boom new sire Justify (USA) and foaled a brother to Juan Diva last spring before being covered by Wootton Bassett.
Juan Diva became the 123rd stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s champion sire Snitzel who stands at a fee of $220,000 in 2022.
Team Dynamic are delighted for
Richard and Will Freedman who continue to go ahead in leaps and bounds since joining forces a few months ago.
Our Dynamic Duo had their first runner together as a co-training operation just
12 weeks ago on the 4th April 22.
Whilst their first winner was
“She Hulk” who won on the 12th April 2022.
The boys have now had
83 starters: 11 Winners (13%) & 24 Placed (42%).
In their past
10 runners, the Richard and Will have trained
3 winners (Juan Diva, Notions, Portnoy), 3 seconds (Field Wiri, Miss Tambo, Pharoah’s Reign) and 2 thirds (Cognac, Field Wiri).
This weekend
“Big Dick and Little Willie” take
Dynamic Syndications horses NOTIONS and LOVE TAP to the races for our ownership teams.