It had been a while between drinks but Russian Revolution stallion Libertad found his way back to winning form in the Group II Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Kicking off his career in March 2023, Libertad won on debut, before a second start win in the Group II Kindergarten Stakes.
Returning as a three-year-old he went three for three, taking the Group III San Domenico Stakes, creating a most enviable record for a young colt, but in six starts following he couldn’t do it again before spending a year away from the track.
Returning with a forgiveable ninth on April 19 in the Listed Ascot Quality, he took the necessary improvement and made the most of a gun run to get back a winner on Saturday.
Having drawn gate two, Jamie Mott parked him midfield on the fence doing less than any other of the competition which saw him take the lead midway down the straight with enough within to hold off the determined late finish of Jedibeel.
No doubt there’ll be more improvement to come.
The win takes his record to four wins, one second and a third from 11 starts with earnings of $616,150.
"It is great to get him back on track," said Annabel Archibald.
"He's had a couple of setbacks with a septic joint. He is lucky as they can be nasty.
"Then he had a little stress fracture when he came back from that.
"Looking back through his form, he's won some good races and placed behind Joliestar in the Arrowfield so I knew he had the form on the board but I thought he may be a run short.
"I originally had Jamie Mott booked on Lady Laguna and I said this morning ‘sorry, she's gone to Hawkesbury instead'.
"I'm sure that when Jamie looked at the (betting) price of Libertad he didn't think he was in with a chance."
Mott believes there is plenty of upside to Libertad as he progresses through the Brisbane Winter Carnival towards G1 company.
"Today he hit the front and got very lost and was like a drunken sailor for a time there until the second horse joined him and kind of headed him," Mott said.
"To his credit he fought hard and was able to get him on the line.
"With so long off, he should have so much more improvement."
Libertad was a $40,000 purchase for T Nolen from the Rheinwood Pastoral draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session before making $210,000 purchase to Annabel Neasham from the Nolen Racing draft at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale
Libertad is the best of three winners from five to race for Charge Forward mare Electric Charge.
The Neasham/Archibald team along with William Johnson Bloodstock paid $180,000 for the yearling half-sister by Prague at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale.
The dam missed to Russian Revolution the following year and has sadly slipped to Ozzmosis from last season.
