THREE-year-old gelding Freedom, who caught the eye when he quickened away smartly from a field that produced four subsequent winners in a Maiden Plate over 1600m at Turffontein in August, confirmed his promise with a well-supported victory over the same trip at Greyville on Friday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalia Al Maktoum’s runner put only a short-head between himself and Maropeng, but when jockey Kevin Shea pressed the button at the 300m-mark the response was good. Freedom had Maropeng’s measure and while the runner-up gave some cheeck, Shea drove his mount with hands and heels only.

“He’s strengthening, getting better,” assessed assistant trainer Nathan Kotzen of Freedom, whose race record shows two wins and three places from five starts. Consistency alone won’t bring this gelding honopur and glory, but he does look above average and is one to keep an eye on.