New stakes winner for Almanzor

Lux Libertas underlined her quality with a commanding victory at Trentham to open her black type account in the G2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes.

Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrews Scott had the Almanzor mare in prime order to resume off a six-month break and she proved far superior to her opposition in the 1400 metre feature.

Lux Libertas raced in behind the leading group to the turn and let down strongly for rider Bruno Queiroz to win going away.

“She had been building toward this for a good while and it’s great that she’s a stakes-winning mare,” Scott said.

“Bruno gave her a sweet trip and she deserved it. We’ll look at some nice fillies and mares’ races through the summer.”

Lux Libertas was bred by Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock with Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax, whose daughter Kylie’s Goldeye Trust races the mare with Peter Sain.

She is a daughter of the Makfi mare Miss Fi, a two-year-old winner and runner-up in the Listed Castletown Stakes.

The dam is a half-sister to dual stakes winner Peaceful and all three of her foals to race have been successful.

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