Trainer and part-owner Lindsey Smith produced a stroke of genius, opting for a gear change that led to Sword of Freedom breaking his maiden status on November 29 at Warrnambool.
The second winner for Choisir in a week on the back of Snapdancer’s success at Ballarat earlier in the month, Sword Of Freedom – having his second Australian start – covered ground three wide without cover but had all the answers in the charge to the winning post.
Having finished on the heels of the placed horses at his Australian debut wearing blinkers, Smith stripped the four-year-old of the head gear. He raced keenly at the ‘bool when fourth on November 6 but he was more settled on Sunday.
The chestnut gelding was sent over to Victoria by Waikato bloodstock agent Gary Carvill, who was instrumental in Spicer Thoroughbreds buying Mystery Shot last year – stringing together five wins without loss, three of them at Caulfield.
“He raced some of the better three-year-olds over there in the Waikato Guineas but lost his way. He was sent over for some beach training. His first start for us he over-raced early and Lindsey took the blinker off for his second start.
Sword of Freedom held off first starter Zoudini providing Spicer Thoroughbreds with the quinella.
Zoudini shouldn’t take long to break through and looks one to follow as he gets up over longer trips. He hails from the family of Makybe Diva, being out of her half-sister Valkyrie Diva and will furnish into a lovely individual.
