Will Freedman might have only started training last month but the first piece of silverware is already secured.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From a family synonymous with racing, Freedman ensured it was a boilover in Sunday's $100,000 Dubbo Gold Cup by winning the feature with $31 outsider Zaunkonig.
Zaunkonig had previously been trained by his father and uncle, the training partnership of Richard and Michael Freedman, but after failing to win since last year's Bathurst Cup they opted to give him up.
Will was left to do a ring-around to find some owners and after that was secured he made the trip to Dubbo in an optimistic mood.
Alysha Collett was in the saddle in Sunday's feature and produced a gem of a ride, stalking leader Cowboys Karma ($101) for much of the journey before taking the lead midway down the straight and fighting to the post.
"He was with Richard and Michael and probably wasn't doing too well there," Freedman said after Sunday's victory.
"Obviously Richard and Michael are very well established but sometimes a change of scenery can give a new lease of life to horses.
"He lives in the paddock now and is just a happy horse and this is really pleasing. Particularly for the team back home.
"We've only got a small team and my partner Rachael has been there the whole way through and it's a real thrill."
READ ALSO:
Amazingly, the win was only Freedman's second as a trainer. He's quickly developing a love affair with the western region as his debut win came with Time To Dazzle and Narromine on August 16 and he went one-from-one at Dubbo on Sunday.
There wasn't a whole lot of love for Zaunkonig among punters, with much of the attention on hometown hope Fast Talking.
Trained by Kody Nestor had been favourite since the markets opened and jumped at $3.10 on Sunday while The Sledgehammer, coming into the racing on the back of four successive wins, was at $6 for Wellington trainer Michael Mulholland.
It was another Dubbo, Cowboys Karma, who set the pace early as expected while Collett and Zaunkonig settled in second and Emanuela ($21) and Highly Desired ($10) also worked forward.
Cowboys Karma faded as they entered the straight as Zaunkonig took control and while Highly Desired produced a strong run home it wasn't enough for Gosford trainer Luke Hilton.
Highly Desired finished a half-length back in second while Bjorn Baker Boomtown Rat ($13) motored home on the outside to pinch third from Nestor's other hope in the race, Toulon Brook ($26).
A Bathurst Cup defence is the next target for Freedman and Zaunkonig, with that feature to be run in two weeks' time, on September 27, while the Mudgee Cup on December 4 is also on the cards.