Ray Thomas column: Libertini in demand after stunning Premiere Stakes win
Libertini put in a stunning performance to upset Nature Strip and Classique Legend in the Premiere Stakes and trainer Anthony Cummings has predicted she can get even better as calls come in for The Everest.
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Libertini is capable of improving on her imperious Premiere Stakes win.
Trainer Anthony Cummings made this prediction as a statement of fact and without a hint of arrogance after Libertini made an irresistible case for selection in the $15 million The TAB Everest with her brilliant win last Saturday.
“She isn’t quite there in the coat yet but with that race (Premiere Stakes) and some good weather coming up she will look at her absolute best in two weeks,’’ Cummings said on Big Sports Breakfast Weekend on Sunday morning.
“There is improvement to come, that is real, and she is going to be tough too handle in The Everest.
“She is entitled to come back and repeat what she did (yesterday) as a minimum I would have thought.’’
Libertini vaulted from $34 to $6 in TAB Fixed Odds betting for The Everest after her stunning comeback win in the Premiere Stakes, racing away from Classique Legend, Deprive and Nature Strip to win by two lengths and stopping the clock at 1m 7.6s.
There are only two vacant slots left for The Everest which belong to Chris Waller Racing and James Harron Bloodstock and both are keen on getting Libertini.
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Waller, who trains Nature Strip, would seem to be in the box seat to secure Libertini but Harron is also making a play for the mare.
“I would love to get Libertini,’’ Harron said. “We’ve been waiting for one to ‘fall out of the trees’ and she is the one.
“We had contact with Anthony Cummings before the Premiere Stakes so I’d like to think we are in with some chance.’’
Cummings said he expects an Everest deal will be “sorted out reasonably quickly” and he was now focusing on preparing the mare for the world’s richest turf race next week.
WAIT AND SEE ON MONTEFILIA
Trainer David Payne is monitoring how Montefilia comes through her Flight Stakes win before determining if his filly takes on the “boys” including unbeaten Love Tap in the Group 1 $1 million Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick next Saturday.
“It will all depend on how she does this week,’’ Payne said.
“I think she is the type who can handle a quick back-up nothing fazes her, she doesn’t worry about anything and doesn’t exert herself unless she is in a race.’’
RIVALRY GROWING
Probabeel and Funstar are building a great rivalry with the pair providing the quinella in the Epsom Handicap.
This is the third time the duo have run 1-2 in a Group 1 race with Probabeel now leading their head-to-head clashes 4-3.
Trainer Jamie Richards is still considering whether to send Probabeel to Melbourne for the $5 million Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24 or keep her in Sydney for the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill a week later.
ENTHAAR MAKES A HUGE STATEMENT
Enthaar was the most emphatic winner of the Gimcrack Stakes in many years.
I could not recall an easier winner of the first fillies two-year-old race of the season than Enthaar who romped home by three lengths eased down in a very fast 57.06s for the Randwick 1000m.
In fact, she created a similar impression to Capitalist five years ago when he won the Breeders Plate on debut by the same margin, recording 57.09s.
Capitalist won the Golden Slipper that season and it is no surprise that Enthaar is already the $9 favourite for Sydney’s glamour two-year-old race at Rosehill next march.
GAI Waterhouse has confidently predicted Farnan will silence his critics when he contests the Group 2 $300,000 Roman Consul Stakes at Royal Randwick next Saturday.
Farnan, winner of the Golden Slipper earlier this year, was controversially beaten out of a place when resuming in the Run To The Rose last month.
Hugh Bowman had Farnan leading by five lengths mid-race and was later charged by stewards and suspended for 20 days only to have the riding ban over-turned on appeal.
Waterhouse believes Farnan, a confirmed starter in the $15 million The TAB Everest on October 17, deserves more respect and was buoyed by the colt’s gallop with the classy Dawn Passage between races at the Kensington Wednesday meeting last week.
“I thought their work was outstanding,’’ Waterhouse enthused.
“Farnan will come back and make everyone eat their words. It seems they have all jumped off him but you can’t take anything away from this colt.
“He was left vulnerable last start but he has had time to get over that run.’’
Tim Clark partnered Farnan in last week’s exhibition gallop and will ride the colt in the Roman Consul Stakes where his opposition is likely to include Wild Ruler and possibly Doubtland.
Waterhouse said Dawn Passage, winner of the Hawkesbury Guineas and Inglis Guineas last season, will resume in the $500,000 Silver Eagle (1300m) on Saturday.
Dawn Passage’s rivals will including the outstanding Alligator Blood, Criaderas and Subpoenaed with all being aimed at the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 31.
10-YEAR-OLD MARVEL RUNS AGAIN
Isorich is never going to be a carnival contender but he is one of NSW’s most admired racehorses and begins another campaign at Canterbury on Monday.
The remarkable 10-year-old gelding is racing’s “Peter Pan” retaining a youthful exuberance that belies his advancing years. He is contesting his 118th race having already won 14 times (with 31 placings) for prizemoney of more than $720,000 – a tidy return on the $7,500 his trainer Wayne Seelin needed to purchase the sprinter as a yearling.
RANDWICK SNAPSHOT: WITH RON DUFFICY
RUN OF THE DAY
On a day stacked full of group racing it was a 2yo that produced the goods in Enthaar. This filly has real x-factor about her running fast time winning the Gimcrack Stakes at her 1st start and it’s obvious her future is very bright.
FORGET THEY RAN
Classique Legend was beaten but far from disgraced in the Premiere Stakes. Wide no cover is not ideal when they are running fast time and his performance was more than enough for the upcoming Tab Everest.
THE BLACK BOOK
If it’s full steam ahead for Montefilia to head towards the Spring Champion Stakes next week I want to be with her. She is a powerful filly who ran outstanding time winning the Flight Stakes and if she reproduces that next week she should be a lot shorter in the markets than the current quote.
RIDE OF THE DAY
Regan Bayliss is new to Sydney but he produced the goods reading the play on Libertini. He didn’t give an inch to the opposition holding a great trailing position and the filly did the rest. It was a great ride under pressure.
NSW RACING: THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday: Canterbury, Muswellbrook
Tuesday: Goulburn, Orange
Wednesday: Warwick Farm
Thursday: Gosford, Armidale
Friday: Port Macquarie
Saturday: Royal Randwick, Kembla Grange, Port Macquarie, Albury
Sunday: Hawkesbury, Coonamble
MORE NEWS:
Libertini surges into mix for The Everest after stunning win in Premiere Stakes