Boom filly up for big race
TRAINER Anthony Cummings admits there is compelling evidence to set boom filly Libertini for the $14 million The Everest.
Libertini broke the clock in her stunning comeback win last Saturday in the Silver Shadow Stakes over The Everest’s Randwick 1200m course, giving Cummings confidence the filly has the natural brilliance to be competitive in the world’s richest turf race.
Cummings also pointed out that Libertini is a big, powerful, imposing three-year-old filly who can cope with the physical demands of taking on older, more seasoned sprinters in The Everest.
But the trainer needs to convince his high profile owners, Gerry Harvey and John Singleton, and an Everest slotholder to get the filly into the field for the big race, run at Royal Randwick on October 19.
“I had a brief chat with Gerry (Saturday) and he wants some more information so we will put something together,’’ Cummings said.
“I think we will have a chat to all the potential slot-holders during the week and see if anyone has any appetite for it.
“Gerry and John need to be up for that (Everest start) and we are close to that but haven’t quite got there yet, then the potential for a slot has to be considered.’’
There are already eight confirmed starters in The Everest with Godolphin, Coolmore, James Harron and Melbourne Racing Club holding the final four slots.
Libertini was so good in the Silver Shadow Stakes that TAB Fixed Odds price assessors slashed the filly’s odds for The Everest from $26 into $11. Santa Ana Lane remains the $5 favourite.
Redzel has won the only two Everests run so far with a three-year-old yet to finish in the placings.
The only three-year-old fillies to contest the Everest was in the inaugural race in 2017 with Tulip finishing fifth, Houtzen seventh and She Will Reign 11th.
But after watching Libertini being eased down to score a dominant Silver Shadow Stakes win where she ran the Randwick 1200m in a flying 1m 7.93s including breaking 33s for her closing 600m sectional, Cummings is growing in confidence about his filly’s Everest chances.
“I feel physically, she loses nothing in comparison to those other horses, she has the body of a four-year-old now,’’ Cummings said.
“She was very strong through the line and to run the time, it was certainly very impressive.
“There was a lot of pressure in the first half of the race (Silver Shadow) yet she soaked that up and ran away from them. In the Everest, she will carry less weight (53kg), too.
“In terms of how brilliant she is, maybe there is a risk in some people’s minds about her getting out to a mile (1600m) but there is no issue with her over 1200m, plainly.
“When you can run close to a track record eased down first-up you probably don’t have to prove much more to show you are at that level. She really is something special.’’