CROSSLEY trainer Mitch Freedman won his second metropolitan Saturday race – in the stewards’ room at Moonee Valley.
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Shenzhou Steeds finished a half-head behind Temps Voleur in the $80,000 race before jockey Ben Melham lodged a protest, alleging interference before and rounding the home turn.
Stewards upheld the protest and reversed the placings for the 2040-metre race.
Shenzhou Steeds gave Freedman his first city Saturday victory when he won at Flemington on August 8.
Freedman said Shenzhou Steeds had trained on well following his that city victory.
"I think there's still improvement in him,” he said.
“Things didn’t pan out the way we had hoped, he got stuck back along the rail.
"It was a really great effort by the horse.
“He got tightened for room, copped the interference and then picked himself up and came again.
“It’s not the way you want to win a race, in the stewards room, but there was interference."
The eight-year-old, who was formerly trained by Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Micheal Moroney, has won two of his six starts for the Freedman stable.
Meanwhile, top Mount Gambier trainer Michael O'Leary has given punters a strong lead to the chances of his two runners at Warrnambool on Monday.
O'Leary accepted with Maraneka, Tons Of Dash, The Green Sash and Space Trek for Warrnambool.
But the respected trainer decided to run The Green Sash and Space Trek at Naracoorte on Sunday.
"I think Maraneka and Tons Of Dash will be competitive at Warrnambool,” he said.
"Maraneka is first up from a spell. He's only had the two runs and both those starts have been full of promise.
“Tons Of Dash has been there about at his last few runs. I reckon he'll run well."
The first of nine races at Warrnambool is set down for 12.30pm and the last is to be run at 5.25pm.