Annabel and Rob Archibald are drawing confidence from jockey Jamie Mott’s decision to relinquish riding at a feature Melbourne meeting in favour of partnering Libertad in the Group One Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.
Mott is bypassing Zipping Classic Day at Caulfield on Saturday, which boasts seven black type races, to make the trek west for Libertad’s Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) assignment.
It will be his fifth ride on the entire with whom he combined to capture the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm in May.
“Jamie Mott is going to fly over and ride him. He rode him a couple of starts ago, and he won the Victory Stakes on him,” Annabel Archibald said.
“It gives you a bit of confidence.”
Libertad has raced three times this campaign, finishing a close fourth behind Rothfire in the Sydney Stakes (1200m) first-up, before a midfield finish in the Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) at Flemington won by Caballus.
At his most recent outing, he was beaten less than two lengths when fourth to Giga Kick in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Archibald said Libertad had been given plenty of time to settle into Perth, having travelled over earlier this month with stablemate Depth Of Character, that horse enduring a tough run from wide barrier in the Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot last Saturday.
Libertad fared significantly better at the draw with gate two, immediately inside two-time Winterbottom winner and equal favourite Overpass.
A consistent performer throughout his career, Libertad has a trio of Group wins to his credit, capturing the Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) as a juvenile and the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at three, before adding the Victory Stakes as an older horse.
Archibald is hoping Saturday’s Ascot feature can deliver him an elusive major.
“He ran fourth in the Champions Sprint the other day. He has won two Group Threes and a Group Two during his career. We’re missing a Group One so this might be it,” she said.
