The $200,000 Group III MRC Don Casboult Classic (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday produced another Black Type win for talented Blue Point (IRE) filly Point Barrow.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Point Barrow ended her spring with a win in the Group III VRC Red Roses Stakes and kicked off her autumn campaign with a fifth in the Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate against the older sprinters.
Dropped back in grade to fillies class here, she was sent off a heavily backed favourite and duly scored a stylish length win for Daniel Stackhouse.
Sam Freedman revealed Point Barrow had not pulled up well from her Oakleigh Plate run and the team were relieved to have the filly back in top form.
"She's a good filly and we probably didn't see the best of her in an Oakleigh Plate, albeit, she still ran pretty well if she wasn't $2.50,” said Sam Freedman.
"But she pulled up sore, her action late there didn't look great. She trialled Monday and looked terrific.
"We've got a terrific team of vets and a good farrier and she needed a bit of work after the run in the Oakleigh Plate.
"Macca and Tom, they're a big part of the team, they've been with us for a very long time and when you've got good people around you, you can start to work with horses like this and get them back into their best form."
Point Barrow is likely to target the G1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares in Adelaide on April 25.
"Look, the Sangster's been a target, front of mind, and she'll either go in there fresh with a trial or we'll give it one run over there,” Freedman added.
"She's a cantankerous filly that gets a little bit warm at times, so we've just got to work out whether we travel her over earlier and have a run and let her settle into an environment or whether we go for a hit and run and just keep her away from the track and just present on race day.”
Point Barrow was purchased by her trainers for $400,000 from the Yarraman Park draft at Magic Millions and has the overall record of five wins from eight starts with prizemoney just shy of $550,000.
Bred by Yarraman Park in partnership with Robert and Barbara McClure of Morning Rise Stud, Point Barrow runs for an ownership group that includes the McClures along with Halo Racing Services (the late Colin McKenna)and Ridgmont.
She is the second foal and second winner from Group III winning Reward for Effort mare Take Pride, who was bought from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2017 for $550,000 by James Bester Bloodstock and comes from the family of Caulfield Cup winner Mummify.
Take Pride has a yearling colt by Home Affairs and produced a colt last spring by Hellbent.
