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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Michael Freedman believes there’s spring potential in impressive debut winner Backrower and is looking forward to putting that potential to the test at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Michael Freedman

The colt is one of a trio of youngsters in the Bowermans Handicap (1300m) coming off fresh victories and Freedman says the fact he was able to beat older horses suggests there’s above average talent in the locker.

Backrower finished over the top of subsequent winner Huon to score at Newcastle back on May 14 and if Rosehill can sneak into the soft range it will give Freedman more confidence.

“According to Rory (Hutchings) he wasn’t totally at home on the heavy ground that day so it probably added a bit of merit to the win,’’ Freedman said.

“But he came from a good way off them and I thought he showed a good turn of foot.

“Huon came out and won his next start so that form looks pretty good. For a young horse, relatively inexperienced, it’s always a good effort to beat older horses.

“He’s a horse I’ve always had a nice opinion of and hopefully he might develop into something in the spring.”

The son of Astern, $6 with TAB on Friday, is a latecomer in the season due to a mishap with a torn hamstring when he was being prepared for the autumn but Freedman says it could be a blessing in disguise due to his physical development since.

Freedman is reluctant to place too much emphasis on the fact Backrower beat older horses at Newcastle but said it is still a good sign.

“At this time of year, getting towards the back end of the season and no disrespect to the opposition, you sometimes find those open maidens against older horses can be weaker than the two-year-old maidens,’’ he said.

“I’d say whatever the result he will have a few weeks of and see if he can measure up in the spring.”

The Randwick trainer takes two debutants to Newcastle on Saturday and expects Beautiful to be competitive in the Avid PM Plate (900m) after a sound trial earlier in the week while Leica Storm kicks off in the Allied Moving Services Plate (1200m).

“I thought (Beautiful) trialled nicely enough, she's quite a sharp type. I think she has a nice future,’’ Freedman said.

“The colt is the opposite, I think he is a late developer and will probably go for a spell after Saturday whatever the result. He could develop into a nice middle distance type.”

Meanwhile, multiple Group 1 winner Forbidden Love is back in Freedman’s Hawkesbury stable where she’ll have a couple of weeks of light work to kick off her spring preparation.

Backrower wins at Newcastle on May 14

He’s pencilled in a trial towards the end of July or early August and while the $2m The Invitation (1400m) is likely to be her major target Freedman said if a TAB Everest slot holder comes calling those plans can change.

“It’s out of our hands a little bit,’’ he said.

“If her form warrants that someone wants to entertain having her in their slot for The Everest but if that doesn’t eventuate we’ll aim at other spring targets.”

So far four horses are confirmed for the $15m TAB Everest – Nature Strip (Chris Waller Racing), Masked Crusader (Whitby/Werrett), Mazu (Arrowfield & Star) and Eduardo (Yulong).

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