A look into the background of last Saturday’s Winterbottom Stakes winner
Libertad snared the Group 1 win that added credibility to his profile for a stud career and it could not have come at a better time for the team at Victorian operation Blue Gum Farm.
The Russian Revolution entire's maiden elite-level success in last Saturday's Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot came less than a month after the death of Blue Gum stallion Sejardan.
Jason Stenning of Trilogy Racing, who race Libertad and also own Blue Gum Farm, said it was an amazing result.
"As everyone's aware we had a huge loss in losing Sejardan only a few weeks ago, so we're still coping and dealing with that," Stenning said.
"One of the best rules is 'No decisions on raceday', but I think this win certainly qualifies Libertad to go to stud.
"But we'll just let the dust settle, get together with Sean and Kathy (Dingwall), brainstorm it and see what we're going to do next.
"It's very emotional for us - our first Group 1 win in Trilogy colours. It's a huge milestone for us.
"We've won plenty of Group 1s in partnerships, so we've seen what it takes. But this is humbling, though also validating about the concept of what we're doing. So it's really exciting in a lot of ways."
Triolgy bought into Libertad after he was purchased by Annabel Archibald for $210,000 at the 2022 Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
Earlier that year, Victorian horseman Tal Nolen paid just $40,000 for him at the Inglis' Classic Sale.
Libertad is out of the Charge Forward mare Electric Charge, who is a daughter of Danzero's Widden Stakes (1000m) winner Miss Bussell.
That makes Electyric Charge a half-sister to Miss Darcey, who won an Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m).
Her third dam is Kiwi Group 1 winner Laurestina, which means Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) winner Hurried Choice is also on the pedigree page.
In winning the Winterbottom Stakes, which came with Jamie Mott aboard, Libertad became the second Group 1 winner for his sire, who also produced Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner Communist.
The victory gave Libertad the rare boast of being a Group winner at two, three, four and five.
The latter of two successful starts as a two-year-old resulted in victory in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m), while he returned to win the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at his first start as a three-year-old.
His other win came as a $71 chance in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) in Queensland earlier this year.
