Makybe Diva and Lee Freedman

[Southern Rooster]

The Diva under David Hall was a good horse but was nowhere near where she is now.

I was thinking after the race the other day I wonder what she could have done if Freedman had her from day 1.

Under Hall she was solely a 2 miler. Under Freedman she has won 1400 upto 3200. Including 2400 and 2040 group one level. She has won at WFA also.

Wonder what he could have got from her if he had from day 1.

 

[OVP]

Something we can only ponder about. Freedman is the ultimate trainer, along with Hawkes as they both excel at every distance. Waterhouse still has a lot to learn in the staying department if you ask me. She has brilliant sprinters and middle distance runners, but it will be a cold day in Hell before i back one of her horses in a staying event.

But sometimes horses hit their peak much later ... maybe Freedman just got lucky. Everything is a lottery in racing, there's no certainty in anything. Luck DOES play the biggest part of all for the trainers though.

How will Plastered go under Freedman ? There's a scary thought ;-)

 

[Foz]

9th November 2002.
This is the day David Hall and the owners of Makybe Diva found out the horse could stay.
It won a 2500m race at Flemington but also told them a few things about the horse.
I've heard a number of interviews where this race convinced them Makybe Diva could stay.
The horse was trained differently from that day with the Melbourne Cup the following year targetted.
This year it was trained for the Cox Plate (no disrespect to the horse but no Lonhro,Sunline,Northerly,Elvis,Starcraft or Grand Armee) and the Wfa races lacked the depth of previous years.(IMO).
Take Makybe Diva away and your left with Lad of The Manor,Fields of Omagh and Lotteria.
Good solid horses but nothing like the class of those other horses (FOO does have a great Cox Plate record though).
I dont think Hall could have done a better job than Freedman(very doubtful) but he was the guy that unlocked the key to her.
Freedman was just the right guy to go on with it.

 

[stuke]

and remember that Lee Freedman didn't really rate the horse highly when he got her. Richie Freedman is quoted as saying she will just be filling a box.

she obviously developed a bit later in her career and Lee was the lucky recipient of her, though his stable is firing during the last few seasons.

 

[Moffo]

richie freedman talks for the sake of talking. He has made many ludicrous comments for publicity

 

[Macca_]

The horse was trained differently from that day with the Melbourne Cup the following year targetted.
This year it was trained for the Cox Plate

I dont think Hall could have done a better job than Freedman(very doubtful) but he was the guy that unlocked the key to her.
Freedman was just the right guy to go on with it.

The first part is a good point with regards to her winning over 1400m first up. And it was why I backed her and got 9's from memory. Knew she would be further forward this prep.

Horses mature at different stages too. Who's to say she might not have done what she has if Hall still had her I spose...

No doubting Freedman has done a great job.