Freire hoping Tuscan Hills can scale Classic heights

Tuscan Hills is set to give Raphael Freire plenty to dream about over the winter following his Listed win at Pontefract last month.

An impressive winner at the mile distance at Thirsk on debut, the son of Night Of Thunder was upped in grade for his second start and thrived in the soft ground to win the Silver Tankard Stakes by just under five lengths.

Owned by Amo Racing, he will now be allowed time to strengthen over the winter months before returning in the spring, when Freire hopes to see him contest one of the early-season Classic trials.

“He has done everything right so far and we always thought he would get every inch of a mile, which he did first time out at Thirsk,” said Freire

“We decided the way he travelled there, we would stay at a mile and we moved up to Listed company because of the way he did things first time.

“It was a pleasant surprise the way he won that race at Pontefract. We knew he would cope with the ground but when you are going from a maiden to Listed company against big names and big trainers, you never quite know where you stand. It was great to see the way he put that race to bed.

“We’ll look forward to a Classic trial in the spring and the way he has done things so far, it suggests he will improve as a three-year-old.

“At this point of the year we will put him away for next year and now we are allowed to hope. We have plenty of good hopes for him next year.”

Freire is also not giving up hope on Benevento, who won the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster in September but was only fourth when attempting to follow up in Newbury’s Horris Hill Stakes.

The handler was far from disappointed with the youngster’s efforts in Group Three company and is backing the colt to also shine next season when returned to better ground.

“He ran a very honest race at Newbury and tried his hardest but the ground did not help him,” continued Freire.

“On better ground I think he will run a lot more competitively than he did, even though he didn’t disgrace himself in that race.

“He will be a better three-year-old next year and he is another one to look forward to.”