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By Ray Hickson

While there’ll be a lot more attention on whether Insurrection can pick up where he left off at Randwick on Tuesday, trainer Michael Freedman will be just as interested to see how stablemate Excellent Proposal fares in his Australian comeback.

Trainer Michael Freedman (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The latter won three of his first four starts in 2019, when Freedman trained in partnership with his brother Richard, before heading to Hong Kong.

He hit the ground running there winning four of his first six for John Size including the Group 1 Classic Mile in January 2021 but has been winless since then.

Owner Kenneth Chung returned him to Freedman earlier this year to wrap up his career.

“When I had him here as a young horse it was always the plan he would some stage go and fill a permit for Kenneth,’’ Freedman said.

“At some stage last year he had a bleed up there and Kenneth decided to retire him from Hong Kong and send him back, he said to me let’s give him one more try and see how he goes.

“Even though he’s a seven-year-old now he’s in very good condition, healthy and sound.”

Freedman said had he stayed in Sydney he’d have been the type of horse suited to a Doncaster Mile or Epsom Handicap, he always thought there was Group 1 potential.

It’s not expected that Excellent Proposal will have the sharpness to knock over Insurrection, and others, in the $300,000 Precise Air Choisir Handicap (1100m) but Freedman is thinking he can make a positive start.

“I’ve been happy with both of his lead up trials,’’ he said.

“I’d expect Tuesday would be too short for him but I just figured having been off the scene we’d start him in a short race just to get him going.

“If he could run well and put in an encouraging run we might have a look at The Hunter for him.

“It’s nice to have him back and hopefully we can get a win or two out of him before he retires.”

While Excellent Proposal is an $81 outsider, Insurrection sat on the second line at $5 with TAB on Monday to make it four straight wins over the Randwick 1100m.

The completed the hat-trick back in June and July and did it each time from either the outside alley or near the outside so he’ll be in familiar ground.

He’s shown his readiness with trial wins over the likes of Private Eye and Chrysoar in October.

“I’ve been very happy with both his trials, he worked very nice on Tuesday,’’ Freedman said.

Insurrection wins a Randwick trial on October 20

“He drew his obligatory wide barrier but he’s at his favourite track and distance. Hopefully he can get across from where he’s drawn without having to spend too many pennies.”

The four-year-old could tackle a race like the $300,000 The Warra (1000m) on the Gong program at Kembla Grange later this month.

“Nothing really firm after that, he may have a little let up and focus on some better racing in the autumn,’’ he said.

All the entries, form and replays for Tuesday's Randwick meeting