There were moments last week when trainer Mitch Freedman questioned his decision to bypass a Group 1 race for his talented sprinter Skybird.

However, the $2 million Manikato Stakes, which had been considered as a potential second-up target for Skybird, ultimately did not feature the soft track conditions that had been forecast mid-week, allowing Jimmysstar to dominate his rivals.

Looking back, Freedman expressed relief that Skybird was spared a contest with that established champion and is now eagerly anticipating her appearance in this Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. The race is expected to be run on a wet surface due to heavy rain predicted for Thursday and Friday.

“We were disappointed when the rain was coming last week and thought it might have been a wet track, but as it turned out they raced on a good track and the rail was out a long way,” Freedman remarked.

“She’s going to get in there with a nice weight on Saturday and we like the set-up of going back to Flemington with her.”

The Gilgai Stakes, where Skybird will carry the 55kg limit weight, marks her return to Flemington for the first time since her career-defining victory on a Soft 7 track in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) back in February of the previous year.

“Injury, circumstance and a number of different things,” Freedman responded when asked about the reason for her absence from Flemington.

“But we’re looking forward to getting her back there. The 1200 is probably at the upper end of her preferred trip, but if she gets the right sort of run she’ll run it out strongly.”

Skybird enters the Gilgai Stakes following a second-up run in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), where she raced nearer the pace than usual and held on for sixth, 3-1/4 lengths behind My Gladiola. Freedman was pleased with her performance in an 850m Ararat jumpout win last Thursday.

“She was getting a bit gross on me at home and I couldn’t do too much more with her, so we just wanted to give her a stimulating piece of work and a trip away from home and it seems to have done the job,” he commented.

Skybird is currently the early favourite for the Gilgai Stakes, a race that also includes Oakleigh Plate runner-up Hedged, the visiting Perth sprinter Smooth Chino, and last year’s winner War Machine. Punters looking for the best racing odds can find a great selection of Australian betting sites to back their selections.