The following story by Clinton Payne at Racenet 23-9-21:
Progressive four-year-old grey gelding
LOVE TAP (TAPIT x SMOKEY’S LOVE) will be chasing a place in one of Australia’s richest races when he tackles the
Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
One year ago, the flashy grey dominated his opponents in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes but after finishing fourth in the Spring Champion Stakes, things turned sour for the gelding.
“He suffered a hock injury and its just taken a long time to get him right,” Richard Freedman, who trains the magnificent grey said.
“He needed to rebuild all the muscle and we’d have liked things to have repaired quicker, but it didn’t.
“It’s just been a time, care and patience job, but now he’s back to where he was.”
Richard Freedman
Love Tap showed his best wasn’t behind him when scoring impressively at Kembla on September 11.
After chasing the speed, the son of US stallion Tapit charged clear over the latter stages to record a 1-1/4 length victory over Benchmark 78 grade horses.
“He was pretty dominant over 1500 metres the other day,” Freedman said.
“But I thought he could be vulnerable at Kembla too.
“He was only second-up, and it was a strongly run race.
“They went a second-and-a-half quicker than they did in the Dulcify, that’s 10 lengths!
“He probably should have got run down after chasing the leader, that horse of Mark Newnham’s (Academy). I thought the long straight at Kembla, second-up, he could run out of gas but he kept going.”
Richard Freedman this week asks more again of
Love Tap and if the four-year-old pleases his trainers, he will find himself chasing a monster payday late next month.
“This looks the perfect type of race to test him in open grade,” Richard Freedman said.
Love Tap at Kembla on September 11
“Lightweight, good gate and there looks a couple of horses for him to chase.
“I want him in the first four. I don’t want Timmy getting any further back than that.
“It should be a good test for him, and it will give us a guide what to look at in the future.
“It’s hard to say how good he is but in a perfect world the Golden Eagle is his target. If he can win on Saturday, then that’s realistic.
“The Epsom hasn’t been in our plans, but again, if he was to win on Saturday, you never know.
“We won’t rule it out but if he was to win, just don’t expect it’s a fait accompli to see him at Randwick next week.”
Love Tap is the
$3.10 favourite at TAB Fixed Odds for the
Shannon Stakes while the wagering operator has the horse priced at $51 in both the Epsom Handicap and Golden Eagle.
Victory in the Shannon Stakes carries Epsom Handicap ballot and penalty exemption.
…………
The Team at Dynamic Syndications are also aiming highly talented stablemate
HIGH SUPREMACY at the same
Golden Eagle target.
High Supremacy and Nash Rawiller winning at Randwick last Saturday
He was very impressive winning at Randwick last Saturday over 1400m and he will have his next assignment in the lead-up
Silver Eagle 1300m.
The plan from
Team Dynamic and Richard Freedman has always been to ensure that the boys don’t clash until grand final day, and have been successful in achieving this to date.
The DYNAMIC - RICHARD FREEDMAN TEAM (Adam Watt, Richard Freedman, Fiona Watt & Dean Watt)
All that can be done has been done. We have two fit and well boys, that have the ability, and have had their programmes professionally managed throughout.
“The future belongs to those who plan for it,” and we have left no stone unturned in our desire to achieve racetrack success.
It’s exciting times for both ownership teams and connections.
It’s now up to
LOVE TAP and HIGH SUPREMACY to make their own way to stardom however its been made achievable by a
great team of Richard Freedman and Dynamic.
Later on Saturday’s programme in
Race 9, the
Dynamic / Richard Freedman Team have another genuine opportunity to go
back-to-back winning the
Group 3 Gloaming Stakes.
Last year it was won by LOVE TAP and this year’s renewal sees our promising 3yo filly NOTIONS carry the colours.
NOTIONS arrives in time to Win over 1600m against the older horses at Hawkesbury
She has followed a similar pathway into the race that was mapped out and achieved with
LOVE TAP and
Richard Freedman has no doubts that she will run the 1800m strongly.
Rachel King - Wanted to ride the filly in the Gloaming
Also, her rider
Rachel King believes the same, after winning on her last start over a mile, Rachel wanted to stick with her in the Gloaming which is a
positive endorsement.