Viva’s Liberte looks a Legal Eagle in G3 feature

Jack Milner

There was a lot to like about the manner in which Viva’s Liberte stayed on when finishing third in the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m in February.

Trying the trip for the first time, this well-bred son of Gimmethegreenlight led from the off, and while many expected this Candice Bass-trained runner to stop, However, he kept on gallantly to run third behind two top Justin Snaith-trained three-year-olds – filly Wish List and Note To Self.

Wish List has already franked the form with a victory in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

Note To Self is highly regarded by jockey Andrew Fortune and has already named him as a contender for the Grade 1 Daily News 2000.

Dropping back to 1600m, Viva’s Liberte was fancied to win the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile at HWB Kenilworth last month but received a bump at the start and did not really recover from that, eventually finishing fourth, but beaten just 1.45 lengths by Jet Force.

On Sunday, he lines up in the Grade 3 Legal Stakes over 1800m at the same venue. He comes in as the best weighted runner by just 0.5kg and will be teamed up with Craig Zackey once again.

He will be a lot better over the extra 200m this time and he should be the runner to beat.

Interestingly, Viva’s Liberte won his first two starts and in the following four runs he was not beaten more than three lengths, and that was in the Derby.

It is also worth noting that he has been nominated to run in the R10-million Hollywoodbets Durban July on 4 July so he will need to start to prove he is worthy of a place in the final field.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 9 El Cohete, 7 Peace Garland, 2 Lady Sunshine, 3 Chinwag

Race 2: 3 Take That, 6 Love Her Madly, 7 Swift Serenity, 8 She’s Chosen

Race 3: 1 Eric Liddell, 4 Chance Encounter, 2 Red Dawn, 6 Signor Dante

Race 4: 2 Given To Fly, 5 Pentolina, 3 Beneath The Clouds, 4 Lady Veritas

Race 5: 5 Swiatek, 3 Queen Regent, 10 Roccapina, 8 Little Suzie

Race 6: 7 Kalahari King, 1 Margate, 3 Earn The Weekend, 2 Shezaripper

Race 7: 3 Viva’s Liberte, 2 Future Free, 4 La Pulga, 7 Tenpenny

Race 8: 2 Kliptown, 11 Cork Bay, 10 Sooty, 6 Clark Griswold

Race 9: 9 Mystic Inferno, 8 Final Call, 6 Take It As Red, 7 Blue Lagoon

BEST BET

Race 6: 7 Kalahari King

VALUE BET

Race 8: 2 Kliptown

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 3×5

BIPOT

R162

Leg 1: 3, 6, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4

Leg 3: 2, 3, 5

Leg 4: 3, 5

Leg 5: 7

Leg 6: 2, 3, 4

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4

Leg 2: 2, 5

Leg 3: 3, 5

Leg 4: 7

Leg 5: 2, 3

Leg 6: 2, 10, 11

Leg 7: 6, 8, 9

PICK 6

R1080

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 2: 3, 5, 10

Leg 3: 7

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 11

Leg 6: 3, 6, 7, 8, 9

JACKPOT 1

R54

Leg 1: 3, 5, 10

Leg 2: 7

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 11

JACKPOT 2

R90

Leg 1: 7

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 11

Leg 4: 3, 6, 7, 8, 9