Trainer Allan Sharrock looks to have another smart juvenile filly on his hands after he produced impressive debutant Librarsi for a maiden victory over 1100m at Otaki on Friday.
The Gerry Harvey-owned daughter of Reliable Man, who stands at Harvey’s Westbury Stud in Karaka, made short work of her two-year-old rivals as she disputed the pace throughout before dashing away in the home straight for rider Craig Grylls to win comfortably.
Although unsighted at any public trials beforehand, Sharrock had given the filly several jumpouts at his home base at New Plymouth and was confident she would handle the occasion of her first raceday start.
“She’s a pretty smart type who is very tractable and we were confident of a good run today,” he said.
“She hadn’t been to the trials but we had given her four or five jumpouts, so she was well versed in what was expected of her.
“Craig said she was very professional, just sauntered around to the start, went into the barrier with no fuss and jumped out nicely to sit on the speed.
“She hit a bit of a flat spot in the straight but once she balanced up it was all fairly comfortable in the end.”
Sharrock will now set his sights on the final stakes race of the season, the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) back at Otaki on 30 July, where she will clash with stablemate Sophmaze, who took out the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at her last start.
“People may have looked at her pedigree and wondered why we were starting a Reliable Man filly as a two-year-old, but she is out of an a speedy General Nediym mare who is from a family of proven early runners,” he said.
“She probably isn’t totally comfortable on very heavy tracks but we think she deserves a shot at some black type and the Ryder Stakes at the end of next month looks a winnable race.
“Craig said he would be very keen to ride her there so he should be aboard and she will clash with my other good juvenile filly Sophmaze who is also headed to the race.”
Librarsi is out of the race winning mare Tennessee Love and comes from an extended family littered with stakes performers including Group One winners Aloha, Seabrook and Malaguerra. – NZ Racing Desk
