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By Ray Hickson

Will Freedman couldn’t believe what he was hearing when he asked Pavitra’s trackwork rider what the filly was doing with her head pointed to the sky.

“She’s looking at that plane over there” was the response.

Will Freedman (Pic: Bradley Photos)

It’s not something you see too often, normally a horse’s focus is on what’s in front of them, but Freedman said it’s not that surprising Pavitra would be so curious as to wonder what’s above.

She’s always had the talent and Freedman says her mental maturity is catching up with the physical development that has led her to be a leading chance in Saturday’s Group 1 $600,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

“She’s still a child at heart but she’s starting to learn racing a lot more,’’ Freedman said.

“She doesn’t over exert herself in trackwork, she just does what’s required which is a pretty common trait for elite stayers. They’re not motivated by going fast like a sprinter is.

“Now she’s very professional in her work, if you put her up against a maiden she’d beat it by half a head. She doesn’t need to beat it by four or five lengths.”

Pavitra has come a long way since she started her career in a Goulburn maiden in July last year.

Freedman, who co-trains with his father Richard, was left a little flat by her debut but with the benefit of time she picked up what the game is all about and it took her all the way to a brave second in the Group 1 VRC Oaks three and a half months later.

“We knew we had something quite raw but that had a lot of ability but it was just a plain effort (at Goulburn),’’ he said.

“She was very green, sort of whacked away and was probably in the worst part of the track. I don’t think she enthused Willie Pike at that point.

“Once she won over 1850m (at her third start), when she was still two years old, we sort of knew she had some X-Factor about her.

“We always knew her three-year-old career was going to be the most important because once they get to open grade you have to take on the Northern Hemisphere bloodlines.”

The filly is a half-sister to Group 1 winning sprinter Wild Ruler but distance appears to be her forte and she’s already a clear favourite for next month’s Australian Oaks at $3.50 with TAB.

Her runaway win in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) second-up told Freedman she’s on target for what would be a special Group 1 win to him, his first in partnership with his father who he says has been a “great mentor”.

“I thought she was good first-up without having a huge flashing light on her. Going to Kembla we were confident she’d win but you’re always pleased when you win in that fashion,’’ he said.

“If she was going to be competitive against a horse like Prowess she would have had to win like that so it was more a relief than a surprise.

“She’ll have to improve a little bit but she seems to be improving as we get further out in distance.”

Pavitra wins at Kembla Grange on March 10

When Pavitra, $3.10 with TAB on Thursday, has been able to lead or sit right on the speed she’s proven to be most effective so Freedman said that’s unlikely to be changed going into the Vinery.

“Chad (Schofield) said after Kembla the way she relaxed you could take a sit on her,’’ he said.

“Her best trait is her big action and when you’ve got a horse that has early gate speed, likes leading, and is able to kick away, if they hand up the lead to her she’ll take it.

“If they want to go crazy she can certainly sit just behind them.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting