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By Ray Hickson

The D-Day sign hasn’t quite been hung over talented four-year-old Moravia’s stall just yet by trainer Michael Freedman but he concedes he’ll be scratching his head if he doesn’t back up his promising return at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Michael Freedman

Freedman has made it no secret he feels Moravia is capable of winning at a good level and he had that feeling underlined with his first-up performance in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) two weeks ago.

It was a race that he didn’t want to use to kick off the preparation but it became a go-to when Moravia drew a wide gate in his planned return.

So there’s a level of expectation, without using the D-Day term, going back in class second-up into the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1200m).

“To some degree it is, barring any bad luck, but I certainly think he’s in the right race given the way he ran first-up and the way he seems to be going,’’ Freedman said.

“It’ll certainly answer a few questions for me as to which way we head with him.

“Against some of the best sprinters in the country it was a really good run first-up but not really a surprising run given what he shows at home.”

What Moravia’s effort in the Concorde did was catch the eye of champion jockey James McDonald.

Freedman revealed McDonald chased the ride after watching him sprint home from the back in 32 seconds for his last 600m (Punter’s Intelligence).

The scratching of likely leader Whinchat would only raise Freedman’s hopes that Moravia, $3.30 with TAB on Friday, has his chance to notch a second career win.

“James was onto it straight away after the Concorde, he said if you’re thinking of running in that 88 in two weeks I’d be happy to ride him. So it worked out quite well,’’ he said.

“If James can get him into a nice spot with a bit of cover, the way he seems to be going it looks like a good race for him.

“He seems to be very focused now he’s been gelded and had a good spell and an uninterrupted prep. Barring bad luck I would think he will run well.”

The last time Manaal appeared over 1400m at Randwick she won the Group 1 Inglis’ Sires, beating Traffic Warden, earlier this year but the boom on unbeaten filly Autumn Glow has her on the second line of betting in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).

Freedman said he couldn’t be happier with how Manaal improved from her first-up third in the Silver Shadow into her win in the Furious Stakes two weeks ago but feels the result may well come down to whether the boom on her rival is warranted.

“There’s a big wrap on her from the stable and her price suggests she’s very good so it’ll be interesting to see,’’ Freedman said.

“If Chris’s filly is as good as they say she is maybe we’re running for second or third but I couldn’t be happier with mine.

“Manaal is going there in as good nick as she’s been, and 1400m is where she won her Group 1, and she should get a nice enough run from the barrier.”

Is Mumbai Muse a TAB Everest outsider?

That’s a question Freedman hadn’t really considered at the start of her campaign but her two runs back tell him that the mare is back to the type of form that saw her win two stakes races last spring.

After being run down in the shadows by Sunshine In Paris last week he feels a throw at the stumps is warranted in the Group 2 $1m Yarraman Park Shorts (1100m).

Moravia's first-up run at Randwick on September 7

“She was terrific, to split those two good mares and only be beaten a neck by a mare that’s in the top few in the market in the Everest,’’ he said.

“She’s bounced out of it in such a good condition I felt it was worth at least having a look at the race.

“She’s come up with a good barrier and a good amount of speed in the race on paper so it sets up nicely for her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting