Lockwood works on Liberation program
“IT’S like having a V8 car with a faulty fuel line.”
That’s the way Brisbane trainer Barry Lockwood described his latest stable acquisition Liberation, who was touted as one of Australia’s most exciting horses 12 months ago but was beaten in a Class 3 at Beaudesert this month.
His Beaudesert effort, his first start since transferring from Gai Waterhouse’s stables to Lockwood recently, was a stark contrast to his form at this time last year.
Liberation bolted in firstup in a two-year-old race at Rosehill on July 19 and then would have won his next two starts in Sydney, including the aptly-named Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes, if he didn’t run off the track both times.
Sure he was erratic but Liberation was a young colt and these problems have a tendency to iron themselves out with experience.
But while his racing manners seem to have improved, Liberation is still suffering from a bigger issue that is affecting his performance.
“He is a very nice horse but he has a wind problem and that is why he is up here,” Lockwood said.
“He has a terrific motor the horse but if he can’t get the air to it, it doesn’t work.
“It’s like having a V8 car with a faulty fuel line.”
Lockwood is creating reputation of getting the best out of underperforming horses.
Hidden Pearl was beaten an average of 5.6 lengths in her four starts in maiden company before she arrived at Lockwood’s stables earlier this year.
She is now stakes-placed and a two-time Queensland metropolitan winner who will be aimed at the Melbourne spring carnival if she continues to shape up in Queensland when she returns from a short break.
Lockwood said Liberation has only ever known one way to race and that must change if the Fastnet Rock colt is to fulfil his potential in Queensland.
“He has to learn to come back and finish off and let the others do the work early and then he can have the last crack at them.
“I would like him to do that immediately but there’s no guarantees and you can’t just stand them on their ear with problems like that,” Lockwood said.
Liberation is dual nomi- nated for races at Doomben and the Gold Coast today and Lockwood was still deciding which way he would go last night.
Either way he just hopes the one-time $500,000 yearling purchase isn’t a sitting duck in the straight.
“He had a tie-back operation when he was younger and there is another operation he can have (to try and fix his breathing) … but he is only new to me and I will try him for a little bit longer (first),” he said.
“He is certainly working well and if we can get his head around things he will be fine.”