Liberty’s Gem Scores Tough Win In Placid Ark Stakes

Liberty’s Gem led from start to finish to record a tough win in the 2014 Placid Ark Stakes at Ascot this afternoon.

Ben Melham steered Liberty's Gem to victory in the 2014 Placid Ark Stakes at Ascot. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Ben Melham steered Liberty’s Gem to victory in the 2014 Placid Ark Stakes at Ascot. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

The Simon Miller-trained duo of Liberty’s Gem and Fuld’s Bet were both well-backed in the lead-up to the Placid Ark Stakes and the talented pair fought out the finish; with Liberty’s Gem proving too strong in the final stages of the race and Malibu Styling flashed home to finish second.

Miller said in the lead-up to the Placid Ark Stakes that his staff were split on which of their two runners would take out the Listed event, but the leading Perth trainer said that he was happy to give the edge to Liberty’s Gem after he started his racing career with two impressive performances at Belmont Park.

“He just has so much x-factor and he just oozes class,” Miller said after the race.

“I was just in a really good position because I had two really good horses in the same race and may the best horse win.

“The winner is a really good horse and half the staff are happy because they won the cartons and the other half have got to pay.”

Liberty’s Gem has now had three race starts during his maiden racing campaign and Miller said that he will give the Statue Of Liberty gelding a maiden opportunity at Group level in the Group 3 Sir Ernest Lee Steere Classic (1400m) at Ascot on December 6 and paid credit to the way that his staff have handled the three-year-old during this preparation.

“There is a 1400 in a fortnights time the Sir Ernest Lee Steere, but I’ve got to give a huge wrap to my staff, they do a tremendous job,” Miller said.

“We have had the wheels come off all carnival and we finally got it back on last week.”

Fuld’s Bet was the best backed runner in the lead-up to the Placid Ark Stakes after she performed well in both the Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on October 18 and Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on November 1, but her winning chances took a hit when she was slow out of the gate.

The I Am Invincible worked home fairly to finish third and Miller said that he was happy with the performance of the filly who was the start two-year-old in Perth last season after she took out the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) before missing the Karrakatta Plate due to injury

“She didn’t jump that good and she has had a few things go wrong this prep, but the winner is a good horse,” Miller said.

Miller has the chance to continue his fantastic start to Super Saturday with Miss Rose De Lago in the Listed Carbine Club Of WA Stakes (1400m), Hussy By Choice in the Listed Jungle Mist Classic (1200m) and Platinum Rocker in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.