Bold Fresh Attempt at Everest for Libertini

Trainer Anthony Cummings will aim Libertini (I Am Invincible-Aloha, by Encosta de Lago) at the $15 million The Everest first up, reports racingnsw.com.au. "The fact is her best run in nearly every preparation has been her first-up run," Cummings said. "I think you just go with the flow and get her ready for that, hopefully she impresses enough people along the way to get a start. She's run close to track records first-up most of the time, in some respects she is a little bit weather-sensitive in that she is much better on top of the ground. I dare say she would be on people's radar but so too would the weather be." The rising 5YO mare is still spelling, and ran eighth in The Everest last year after winning the Gr2 Premiere Stakes first up for the spring. Libertini has won five of her fourteen starts, with her first-up record being two wins, three placings, and a fourth from six attempts, all in group company, including twice being third at Group 1 level. She has yet to secure a slot for the 2021 race. "She should sell herself, I can talk until I'm blue in the face but she's the one doing the running," Cummings said. "Really you have to rely on (a slot holder) having to wait until that point. Each year there has been someone work it out late, as close as a week out, and I'd be surprised if at that point we weren't the most attractive." Not offered at auction, Libertini is out of Group 1 winner Aloha (Encosta de Lago-Tennessee Midnight, by Danehill).

Libertini could tackle The Everest first-up (pic: Steve Hart)