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Anthony & Sam Freedman‘s honest four-year-old sprinter Tropicus posted his maiden Group 1 success fresh when returning in style at Caulfield to score a comprehensive win in the 2026 Oakleigh Plate results.
Twelve months on from his Group 3 Zeditave win on Blue Diamond Day last season, the progressive son of Too Darn Hot showed his maturity and class when producing a stunning late burst to secure the Group 1 $750,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) first-up for the autumn.
“He’s a proper horse, he deserves that,” co-trainer Sam Freedman told Racing.com.
“As a three-year-old he raced against some of the best, Broadsiding and a few really proper colts.
“He’s got better as an entire and one of those horses that just trains on and on and on, we’ve seen him get better this prep, you wouldn’t rule out him going to another level again.
“Like he does every time he goes to the races, even in the gallop he finds again, and just ultra tough, consistent, all the attributes you want in an entire.
“He puts himself up there, pins his ears back and has a crack.
“They don’t always do that as entires, as you know, but he’s one horse he’s got better – two, three, four, he just continues to improve.”
Raced and bred by Kia Ora, the entire was given a peach of a ride by Craig Williams who made it a Group 1 double on the day following on from his Futurity win with Pericles.
It was also, incredibly, Williams’ first Oakleigh Plate victory and his first sit on Tropicus.
“Beginner’s luck maybe, first time on him— but he seemed pretty good to ride,” Williams said.
“He’s pretty cruisy. I can see why Mark Zara and Damian Lane really enjoyed riding him in their time, and he gave me a lovely ride today, so the race worked out really well for me.”
Williams got Tropicus ($7.50) into a lovely on-pace position settled second on the turn for home before producing him for a surging finish inside the final furlong.
Once hitting the lead, the eventual Oakleigh Plate winner drew away and charged through the line 1.25 lengths clear of Gavin Bedggood‘s Australia Stakes winner Hedged ($20) who was excellent at big odds with the 59kg topweight on his back.
“He was terrific,” second placed hoop Harry Coffey said of Hedged.
“Proud of him and the team is doing a great job.
“He’s just run into a horse that is bombproof, fast, and does it it’s own way.
“I lost my positioning at the top of the straight and it cost me a length, but I was super proud, he ran his heart out and was good through the line.
“He carried a bit weight which people were concerned with, and I felt he ran as good as he can and he can hold his head high.”
Gallant Son ($8.50) up notably in grade off back-to-back wins in easier company was also eye-catching running third in his first Group 1 assignment since a Coolmore Stud Stakes flop back in 2024.
“Tough as nails this horse,” Gallant Son’s rider Luke Cartwright said.
“It was a very bold run today. I found it a bit easy to be honest.
“They didn’t cross me and get the cover I wanted and at the 600 (metres) they were leaving the door open for me, and I took it up.
“He gave a strong kick, but unfortunately there were a few better than him today.”
The win saw Tropicus secure his future as an exciting stallion prospect and earned him a likely next-up assignment back at the Caulfield track on March 21 in the Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes William Reid Stakes (1200m) with the Freedmans keen to avoid him running at Flemington.
“I don’t think he’s a straight horse, to be honest. He’s generally good around a bend, he’s so good here,” Freedman said.
“So, we’ll chat to the team at Kia Ora, they’ve been great supporters of ours for such a long time.
“I’d say we may end up in a William Reid, something like that, but we’ll have a chat and let the dust settle.
“He carried a big weight today (58.5kg).
“Next in store would probably be a weight for age race.
“I don’t think we’d see him in a Newmarket, probably go to a William Reid – he’s so good at Caulfield and so good fresh.”
Tropicus subsequently firmed in all-in 2026 William Reid Stakes betting at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au in from $26 to $13.
Ladbrokes William Reid Stakes 2025 Odds
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1. Jimmysstar
T: |
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2. Tentyris
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3. Tempted
T: |
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4. Angel Capital
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5. Giga Kick
T: |
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6. Charm Stone
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7. Joliestar
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8. My Gladiola
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9. Rey Magnerio
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10. Caballus
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11. Magic Time
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12. Tropicus
T: |
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13. War Machine
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14. Baraqiel
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15. Benedetta
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Oakleigh Plate 2026 Results
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1st
3. Tropicus (9)
J: Craig Williams 58.5kg
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
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2nd
1. Hedged (5)
J: Harry Coffey 59kg
T: Gavin Bedggood |
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3rd
13. Gallant Son (3)
J: Luke Cartwright 52kg
T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
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4th
2. Jedibeel (12)
J: Damian Lane 58.5kg
T: Brad Widdup |
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5th
14. Point Barrow (10)
J: Jamie Melham 50kg
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
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6th
8. Persian Spirit (8)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 56kg
T: Symon Wilde |
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7th
9. Spywire (6)
J: Jye Mcneil 56kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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8th
4. Way To The Stars (13)
J: Ethan Brown 58kg
T: Matthew Smith |
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9th
6. She’s Bulletproof (4)
J: Celine Gaudray 56.5kg
T: Charlotte Littlefield |
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10th
11. Don’t Hope Do (7)
J: Teo Nugent 52.5kg
T: Simon Zahra |
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11th
5. Oak Hill (11)
J: Beau Mertens 57kg
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
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12th
12. De Bergerac (2)
J: Logan Bates 52kg
T: Grahame Begg |
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13th
10. Geegees Mistruth (1)
J: Michael Dee 54kg
T: Mark Walker |
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