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By Ray Hickson

Sam Freedman has been handed exactly what he wanted for promising colt Henlein as he attempts to realise a long range plan to win Saturday’s Group 1 $2m Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

Trainer Sam Freedman (Pic: Grant Guy)

The addition of visors, which Freedman is confident will correct a bit of greenness, and an inside barrier are the two aces he feels Henlein needed to have his best chance of snaring a valuable Group 1.

Freedman, who trains with his father Anthony, said he was a little deflated by the three-year-old’s midfield finish in the Gloaming Stakes two weeks ago but buoyed by what’s happened since.

“We were negative enough I suppose from that barrier and dragged him right back,’’ Freedman said on Sky Sports Radio.

“We were a little bit critical, thought he might have been able to tack on to the eventual second horse and if he’d finished third probably we would have walked away and gone 'he’s bang on track'.

“He closed it off very well but he’s still got a few things to iron out. He just wanted to get on one rein down the straight a touch, he’s still a bit green and inexperienced, we have the visors going on for Saturday.

“He worked very sharp in them. I’m sure he can make the improvement needed.”

A visor is similar to a blinker but has a small opening to allow the horse a little peripheral vision.

“He’s one we weren’t rushing them on because he gets a bit above himself at times,’’ Freedman said.

“In his work Tommy (Berry) said he went straight as an arrow so I think they will have a positive impact on him without lighting him up.”

Henlein, $4.80 with TAB on Wednesday, showed staying promise earlier in the year when he ran third in a 1420m two-year-old race at Flemington and since then the Spring Champion is all the Freedmans have had on their mind.

So with the backing of a bit of history they elected to campaign the colt in Sydney, though a small calendar change meant he diverted back to Melbourne for his second-up run, where he was runner-up to Evaporate in the Stutt Stakes, before returning to Sydney.

While he conceded too much start in the Gloaming two weeks ago, Henlein ran the second fastest last 600m of 33.76 (Punter’s Intelligence).

“We didn’t feel he was going to be sharp enough for a Guineas prep or anything like that,’’ he said.

“We went through past runners and winners of the race for the last 15 years and nearly all of them had been campaigned in Sydney, running in Sydney the whole way through.

“He’s on track and this is his grand final so hopefully he’s there to peak.

“Hopefully we’re dealing with a stallion prospect after Saturday and we can put him away and go for the autumn.”

Freedman would prefer a bit of rain around to give Punch Lane his best chance in the Listed $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) given his mixed performances in three Sydney starts this spring.

Henlein's sixth in the Gloaming Stakes

He was runner-up on a soft 5 in the Shannon Stakes (1500m) to Amor Victorious but weakened to finish midfield in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) on a good 4.

“He’s sort of around the mark, he’s perhaps just below what’s required at this stage,’’ Freedman said.

“He’s proving himself to be a very good wet tracker at this level. If he got a soft track he’d be a chance but he’s obviously got to make that improvement.

“He has been a slow burn, he’s a son of So You Think so he’s going to continue to improve as he gets older.”

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