Reed Shelves Retirement Plans For Star Mare
20 June, 2016
Harness
Hazelmere trainer Mike Reed is excited about the impending return of star mare Libertybelle Midfrew in the upcoming couple of months.
Reed has shelved retirement plans for the outstanding daughter of Christian Cullen after she ended her previous campaign on a dissapointing note.
Reed said the four-year-old had thrived since a break and was raring to go again after her reputation took a mini hit in last year’s WA Pacing Cup (2936m).
After winning an Interdominion heat at Gloucester Park last December, Libertrybelle Midfrew bowed out running a distant last to My Hard Copy in January.
“She is jumping out of her skin,” a delighted Reed said on TABradio.
“She has really grown into a mare and has thickened up.
“Two more weeks I’ll put the hopples on her.
“At the moment I’m just jogging her, cantering her and working her through the bush.
“She is the best she has ever been and I can’t believe how well she has come back.
“After her last start she didn’t pull up the best and we were going to give her three months in the paddock or retire her.
“She had a pretty hard campaign last time and you couldn’t wish her to come back any better.
“Everyone has commented on how well she looks and she looks like she could go to the races tomorrow.
“In about another six or seven weeks she will be ready to rock and roll.”
Libertybelle Midfrew has won 16 races and been placed on 10 occasions from her 44 starts, earning $567,147 in prize money.
She won her first six races for Reed, culminating with the Group 1 WA Oaks (2536m), after crossing from New Zealand in 2014.
Her feature race tally also included the Group 1 Golden Nugget Championship (2536m) and Group 3 WASBA Breeders Stakes (1730m).
Julio Santarelli