Emerging young stayer Cool Chap is ready to run the 2800m of the Listed $200,000 VRC St Leger at Flemington on Monday according to co-trainer Lee Freedman.
Jockey Daniel Stackhouse takes the ride on Cool Chap in the St Leger at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Cool Chap is by champion sire High Chaparral and Freedman said that he couldn’t see the three year not handling the step up in distance after running second to Charlevoix over 2400m in the Listed $150,000 Ladbrokes Galilee Series Final at Sandown on April 9.
“He’s a High Chaparral with a good pedigree,” Freedman told racing.com.
“He’s got a good action and a good temperament, so he could make a nice little stayer in time.”
“He’s a really lovely little horse, very genuine.”
“He has to run the trip, but he’s a very relaxed horse in his races and he should be one of the ones to beat.”
Freedman, who trains in partnership with his brother Anthony, was able to acquire Cool Chap from the Peter Moody stable when the Caulfield trainer was suspended on cobalt related charges.
Cool Chap has only had two starts for the Freedman stable and prior to picking up the runner’s up cheque at Sandown, was able to win a 2000m three year old Handicap at Caulfield on March 26.
Jockey Daniel Stackhouse was aboard Cool Chap for his Caulfield win and gets the nod again in the St Leger, replacing Ben Melham who held the reins at Sandown.
Cool Chap is one of the top fancies for the St Leger with Ladbrokes.com.au who have him on the second line of betting at $4.50 behind the John O’Shea trained Etymology who heads the market order at $2.25.
Etymology heads to the St Leger coming off a fifth placing to Tavago in the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on the first day of ‘The Championships’ on April 2.
St Leger market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.25 Etymology, $4.50 Cool Chap, $6.50 Hardern, $11 Alittle Loose, $13 Joueur, $16 Meru, $17 Tuff Bickie, $18 Bullish Stock, $26 Skulduggery, $61 Sarimonok, $81 Cracklin’ Rosie, Fifedom, $91 Wintonia, $101 Laser Sight.
