Harron wins race to lock in Libertini for Everest

The Sydney-based Harron and Chris Waller Racing were the only two slotholders not to have made a move prior to Saturday’s Randwick meeting and Libertini’s scorching resuming win in the G2 Premiere S. set them head-to-head.

Harron emerged victorious following negotiations with the mare’s breeder and co-owner Gerry Harvey and his racing partner John Singleton and Harvey’s Racing and Bloodstock Manager Luke McDonald.

“We’re really excited to get her and it’s been an anxious few days waiting in the wings and going through the process,” Harron said. “She was the one we wanted and we’ve been waiting for that one horse to stand out nice and close to the race for us.”

The Anthony Cummings-trained Libertini did just that on Saturday when she burst into calculations with her scintillating win in the G2 Premiere S. at Randwick.

“If she can repeat what she did on Saturday she is going to take a lot of beating. By all reports she’s come through it super and she’s nice and fresh so it’s pretty exciting.”

Libertini has been a late mover into contention for The Everest, although her talent was on display early in her career.

She won the Listed Woodlands S. as a 2-year-old and the G2 Silver Shadow S. and G2 Furious S. last season before running third in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. She had two more starts when fourth in the G1 Light Fingers S. and unplaced in the G1 Newmarket before she was turned out.

“She went missing for a prep and had three months off and Strawberry Hills spelled her and did a fantastic job on her conditioning and her feet and she’s come back extraordinarily well,” McDonald said.

“They have done a great job to get her feet perfect and she’s in fantastic order and Anthony has done a great job as well.”

Blaze of glory

Libertini returned in a blaze of glory in the Premiere to account for Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt), who has been heavily fancied in the market for The Everest for some time.

“You’ve got to have a really open mind and watch the lead-up races and watch the trials and let it unfold in front of you,” Harron said.

“We have seen some interesting results over the last few years and it’s not always as predictable as what it looks like a few months out from the race,” Harron said.

“We saw Yes Yes Yes, the late entry last year, picked nine days out from the race, and he won over others that were in form that got picked up earlier on.

“If you miss out early it may look a bit skinny, but fortunately we were able to get Libertini and hopefully we can get a result. There’s all the talk and the hype and it’s a matter of getting closer to the grand final and sorting the wheat from the chaff.

“Libertini was really solid first-up and she didn’t have a tough run. She went through the line beautifully so I’m not surprised she’s come through the run so well.”

Regan Bayliss, who recently moved to Sydney to link up with Cummings, rode Libertini in the Premiere S. and a decision on The Everest rider has yet to be made.

“Look, I’ll leave that up to Anthony and Gerry, but I would imagine nothing changes and Regan rode her super, but that will be their call,” Harron said.

As it stands