Freedman stable flying high into 2026 after stellar year
The Michael Freedman stable is flying high into 2026 and two Godolphin prospects can help kick-start the new year with wins at Randwick on Saturday.
By Craig Kerry
January 1, 2026 — 5.00pm
After a career-best calendar year, trainer Michael Freedman hopes a Godolphin pair on his home track at Randwick and Magic Millions Guineas favourite Ninja at Eagle Farm on Saturday can strike early blows towards bigger success in 2026.
Freedman had 50 winners, including 10 in stakes races, across the first five months of the 2025-26 season, continuing an outstanding strike-rate of 20.1 per cent from the 2024-25 campaign. That season featured 66 winners and five at stakes level, highlighted by Marhoona’s Golden Slipper victory.
Ninja, left, winning at Rosehill on August 16.Credit: Getty Images
This season, Freedman also expanded with a Gold Coast satellite stable under the care of his brother, Hall of Fame trainer Lee.
“It’s been a great year,” Freedman said on New Year’s Eve.
“I’d say it would be our best calendar year. I don’t know in terms of numbers of winners, but certainly I think in terms of feature race winners. And our strike-rate has been great, so we can use it as a platform to really build on it and continue to find some nice horses because whilst we’re not as big in numbers, we try to keep the quality up.
“We’ve got some nice horses around us now, and we did a deal with Lee to open up the new stable on the Gold Coast, which is settling in and working well.
“It’s been a busy year, but a good year, and hopefully it gives us a good platform to kick on into ’26.”
Apocalyptic, Marhoona and Manaal starred for Freedman in the spring and they are set to trial ahead of autumn returns. Godolphin’s Ohope won listed and group 2 races in the spring and looks likely to target the Randwick Guineas in the autumn.
On Saturday, Freedman will test Godolphin’s Outspan and Cinsault at Randwick.
Outspan ($7), a Bivouac colt, will debut in the maiden two-year-old plate (1000m) off two trials.
“He’s a nice colt and I think he’s just gradually improving the longer he’s in work,” Freedman said.
“Whilst 1000 metres might be a touch sharp for him on Saturday, I think he’s colt who can hopefully improve off it and appreciate going over 1100 and 1200. He’s a nice, big, strong horse and I’m looking forward to seeing him run.
“It’s always a bit difficult to know where they are going to measure up heading into the autumn, but we’ll give him his chance and see where he gets to. He’s got solid trial form and he’s had a nice foundation, and I was happy with his gallop on Tuesday.”