Every so often, a promising racehorse arrives in an unexpected way — and Closer To Free has certainly made an impression since joining the Ultra Thoroughbreds fold.

The son of Street Boss first caught the attention of trainer Danny O’Brien during an impressive trial at Caulfield in January 2026.

At the time, Closer To Free was an unraced two-year-old prepared by Adrian Corboy. His performance was enough to catch O’Brien’s eye, and the colt was subsequently purchased to race for the Ultra Horse Syndicate.

It didn’t take long for that decision to look like an exciting one.

A Winning Debut at Caulfield

Closer To Free made his race debut in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings at Caulfield in February.

Despite facing more experienced opposition, he produced an assured performance under jockey Michael Dee, racing prominently before finding plenty when challenged and securing victory.

It was an impressive introduction to racing — and immediately earned the youngster a place among the leading contenders for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

Trainer Danny O’Brien was particularly encouraged by the colt’s temperament, describing him after the race as a relaxed and sensible horse who had handled his first raceday experience remarkably well.

Stepping Up to Group 1 Company

Just two weeks after his debut victory, Closer To Free faced his biggest test yet in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.

In only the second race of his career, the young colt produced another excellent performance to finish second in one of Australia’s premier races for two-year-olds.

It was an impressive achievement for such an inexperienced horse and underlined the potential that had initially caught the attention of the O’Brien and Ultra Thoroughbreds team.

His autumn campaign also took him north to Sydney, where he was prepared for a potential Golden Slipper tilt and impressed again in a Rosehill trial.

Back for the Spring

Closer To Free returned as a three-year-old during the 2026 spring racing season, beginning another interesting chapter in what is still a very young career.

With a Group 3 victory and Group 1 placing already on his record, he is an exciting prospect to follow as he continues to develop.

For Sean Buckley and Ultra Thoroughbreds, Closer To Free is also another example of just how quickly fortunes can change in racing.

From catching the eye in a trial as an unraced youngster to competing at the highest level just weeks later, his story has already been an eventful one.

And with plenty of racing still ahead of him, Closer To Free will certainly be one to watch.