Racing in rare form, the Michael and Richard Freedman-trained Forbidden Love added a second Group 1 to her record when leading at every call in Saturday's $500,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick.
The Group 1 Surround Stakes winner at three went off a short-priced favourite following a dominant performance in the Group II Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbred Stakes on a heavy 10 last week.
The daughter of All Too Hard was no less dominant here. Sent to the front by Hugh Bowman, Forbidden Love put the race to bed at the 200m. She defeated the grey import Lighthouse (Mizzen Mast) by one and three-quarter length with Private Eye (Al Maher) a further two and a half lengths back in third.
Bred by Kerry O'Brien Thoroughbreds, Forbidden Love advances her record to seven wins, a second, and five thirds from 21 starts with earnings of $1,441,550.
"She just pulled up so well from last week. I thought, we could wait for the Coolmore and draw 15 and give weight to good fillies coming out of the Surround, so I thought, we may as well roll the dice," Michael Freedman said.
"Nothing is a certainty in this game, as we all know, but I just thought with the conditions as they were going to potentially play out and how well she pulled up after the Guy Walter last week, we are probably never going to get a better chance at a Group One than this. It panned out well. She has been a terrific mare and there is still a bit to go.
"We will wait and see how she pulls up, whether she looks to become a broodmare later this year or whether we continue on, we will wait and see. Everything and anything is on the table. Let the dust settle, have a chat to all the crew and see which way we go.
"The (George) Ryder in a couple of weeks mightn't be out of the question, especially if we keep getting some of these wet tracks and I haven't ruled out backing up in the Coolmore.”
Forbidden Love was purchased for $150,000 by Richard Freedman from the Bhima Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A half-sister to the Melbourne winner Kuramae (Foxwedge), Forbidden Love is the second foal of the class More Than Ready (USA) mare Juliet's Princess (USA).
A 5-time winner and stakes-placed in the Listed SAJC Laelia Stakes, Juliet's Princess is out of the unraced Thunder Gulch (USA) mare Malayan Princess.
Bhima Stud offered a yearling half-brother by Epaulette at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, with Avesta Bloodstocksigning the ticket for $100,000.
After missing to All Too Hard in 2020, Juliet's Princess was covered by King’s Legacy last spring.
