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By Ray Hickson

Where Group 1 placed colt Tiger Of Malay stands in the spring picture will become clearer to co-trainer Michael Freedman after Saturday’s Group 3 $160,000 Darley Up & Coming Stakes (1300m) at Kembla Grange.

Trainer Michael Freedman

He’s a $26 chance in TAB’s all-in Golden Rose market but the sense from Freedman is that he’s ready to step out of the shadow of stablemate Stay Inside as a three-year-old.

“He’s in good nick and it’s a nice starting point to hopefully lead to bigger and better things later on,’’ Freedman said.

“He’s been a bit of a fly under the radar type of horse. We’re hoping he might measure up as a Golden Rose horse, the 1400m is around his sweet spot.”

Tiger Of Malay, $2.60 favourite with TAB on Thursday, has the job of carrying 61kg in the Up & Coming and that’s a small concern to Freedman but it’s been offset by drawing barrier one and securing James McDonald to ride.

Back in the autumn he was narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes but blossomed in Brisbane winning the Group 2 Sires’ Produce (1400m) at Eagle Farm and placing third in the Group 1 JJ Atkins behind Converge.

“I thought he was quite stiff in two or three of his runs in the autumn, there’s a fair case to say he was stiff not to win the Pago Pago,’’ Freedman said.

“His run in the Queensland Sires’ is a true indication of where his ability lies.

“His trial was a nice easy trial last Friday, he wasn’t knocked around too much. I think it’s a nice starting point for the campaign but obviously with the 61kg it’s a race we’re going into just looking for a nice performance.

“Even if it doesn’t result in a win if it’s a nice run it gets him on the right leg for the options we have for him down the track.”

Freedman said strong consideration was given to waiting until the San Domenico in two weeks with Tiger Of Malay but felt the 1100m would be too sharp, plus that’s the race Stay Inside will kick off in.

While on the Golden Slipper winner, Freedman said Stay Inside will likely trial next Friday at Randwick and his campaign will be shaped by whether he secures an early TAB Everest slot.

“He’ll either establish himself as a potential for the Everest or go the three-year-old route to the Golden Rose so it’s a little up in the air at the moment until we see how he comes back,’’ Freedman said.

Stay Inside is currently $4.50 equal favourite with Anamoe in the Golden Rose and $8 in the TAB Everest.

Tiger Of Malay runs fifth in a trial at Randwick on August 6

Former UK stayer Young Rascal makes his debut for the Freedman yard, he’s based with Richard at Rosehill, in the Drinkwise Premier’s Cup Prelude (2000m) at Kembla.

The seven-year-old arrived in Sydney as a travelling companion for Addeybb in the autumn of 2019 and wound up in the Archie Alexander stable but he hasn’t regained the form that saw him down Mugatoo in the Manion Cup at his local debut.

“We’re hoping he can regain some of his older form, he’s been out of sorts at his last few runs,’’ Freedman said.

“His trials have been okay without blowing your hair back. If he could regain form he is a pretty high class stayer.”

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