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By Ray Hickson

If the Spring Champion Stakes becomes a tactical affair then co-trainer Sam Freedman is confident emerging three-year-old Elliptical is well placed to control his own destiny.

It’s faith in the colt’s versatility now he’s stepping out beyond a mile that will see jockey Blake Shinn handed a ‘choose your own adventure’ license from the inside alley.

And Shinn’s decision to continue his association with Elliptical in the Group 1 $2m Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday could be seen as a pointer, it's certainly encouraging to the Freedman camp.

“He’s a horse that can position up fairly close to the speed without bustling him to be anywhere but we’ll leave all the tactics up to Blake,’’ Freedman said.

“He could lead if he’s required to, it probably wouldn’t be ideal as I think he is probably better following something but if he’s needed to that will be Blake’s call and he’ll have to make that decision in the moment.

“Blake was tossing up whether he was going to stay in Melbourne, when we said we’d like him to ride he was keen to head up so it’s a good sign.

“He's got a good feel of the horse, he’s ridden him in a piece of work as well so he was keen to stick with him.”

The son of 2012 Spring Champion winner Dundeel, $4 favourite with TAB on Friday, is only having his fifth race start and Freedman said he appears to be looking for the 2000m.

That was evident early in the straight in the Caulfield Guineas as he took some time to wind up, not aided by a little traffic, before running Golden Mile to about a long neck in finishing second.

GOLDEN MILE WINS THE CAULFIELD GUINEAS!

That's two Group 1 wins on the day for @mcacajamez and @JamesCummings88 😮 pic.twitter.com/BUdrirMZTg

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 8, 2022

“He hit a little bit of a flat spot just as they turned and was a bit tight for room,’’ Freedman said.

“He was very strong on the line and through the line like this trip is going to suit.

“He’s taken everything before him pretty well in Melbourne and measured up nicely to the three-year-old stakes form at this stage of the spring.

“This trip is right for him now, this feels like a nice race for him and he’s profiling like a horse that should be right there.”

Elliptical has been based at Michael Freedman’s Hawkesbury stable and did some work during the week with Communist, who will take on Golden Mile in the TAB Callander-Presnell at Randwick.

On Friday the track was rated a soft 6 and Freedman said if the rain does arrive he’s as confident as he can be, without firm data, it won’t hinder Elliptical’s chances.

“I think he has had a good grounding to run a nice 2000m, a heavy track he hasn’t seen before but of what we’ve seen at home he seems to handle it fine,’’ he said.

“That’s not to say he’ll handle it under race conditions but on breeding and everything he should get through it.

“He’s been building into his prep, he’s always had a great action and we always thought he would get to this sort of grade.”

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