Attrition aims up at TAB Australian Cup

That day arrives on Saturday when Attrition lines up in the Group 1  TAB Australian Cup at Flemington. 

As with all Group 1 assignments, or any race for that matter, they are never easy, and this year's Australian Cup is one of the better ones in recent memory. 

And like the days of when Vo Rogue was contesting the Australian Cup back in the 1980's, this year's edition is sure to be strongly run with two front running mares engaged in Pride Of Jenni and Deny Knowledge. 

Throw in the likes of Middle Earth, Light Infantry Man, the three-year-old Australian Guineas winner Feroce, along with Atishu, it is a  TAB Australian Cup well worth waiting for. 

"The race has built up nicely over the last month and it's going to be a good solid race," Freedman told RSN. 

"It should be a great spectacle. 

"Deny Knowledge and Pride Of Jenni will be up the front making the running and it will be interesting to see what the rest of the field do." 

Freedman says he is confident Attrition will run out a brutal 2000m having been out past 1600m just three times previously. 

Twice he flopped at 1800m, both times in Group 1 company in the Underwood Stakes in 2023 and in the Northerly Stakes last December, but he was successful over 1900m in the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill last October. 

Attrition will be third-up going into the Australian Cup and Freedman said the gelding should be at his peak for Saturday after running second to Marble Arch in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 1. 

"We thought his fitness levels were pretty good coming out of the Blamey, so we've just kept him ticking over nicely," Freedman said. 

"He's had a few grass gallops, and he's improved slightly and tightened up a bit, but we were pretty happy with where he is fitness wise, and we haven't had to do anything too extreme with him." 

How far Attrition progresses past Saturday will be determined by his performance. 

Freedman said Attrition had a long spring campaign, with plenty of travelling, and is mindful the gelding will need a break at some stage. 

"I am mindful after going to Perth off a longish spring that he hadn't had much time off, so we are keen to give him a bit of a break and relieve the pressure at some point," Freedman said. 

"He does like being in work and he is showing no signs that he has had enough. 

"We're just mindful of managing the horse, like how Chris Waller manages these types of horse and how he has them hanging around at the top level for a long time. 

"That's always been our aim with him and the team at home have done a good job doing it."