Tom Charlton wanted to quietly savour his first group 2 victory in training partnership with John O’Shea after Schwarz hung on to win Saturday’s Missile Stakes at Randwick, but the boss had different ideas.
As Schwarz, the $2.50 favourite, returned after holding a margin in a photo from Arctic Glamour ($6) and Shezanalister ($7.50), O’Shea sat back to let his young partner have the limelight.
James McDonald (red silks) gets the bob in with Schwarz in a three-way photo finish to the Missile Stakes.Credit: Getty Images
“I was just trying to hold back and let John do the interview,” a modest Charlton said. “I’m very lucky to be in this position and come into it with a stable with horses like Schwarz.
“He was an expensive yearling and is maturing into his career this spring, so right place, right time. I think his best is in front of him.”
The partnership is just over a month old and recorded its first winning double after Awesome Wonder had scored earlier in the afternoon.
Schwarz, which cost $1.25 million as a yearling, was having his eighth start and the Missile was his fourth win, and there are plans to get him through to more group targets later in the spring.
James McDonald rode him like the best horse and he delivered, albeit narrowly, after sitting wide and finding the front halfway down straight.
“It was not like we targeted this race. If we had targeted it we would have probably given him two [barrier] trials into it,” Charlton said
“But this race mapped nicely for him for the spring. He was forward enough from the winter as he didn’t have that long off.
“He got a little tired late and will improve from that.”
Schwarz could head to Melbourne for the group 1 Memsie Stakes later this month, where a win would make him a stallion prospect for owners Rosemont Stud.
“We will take a breath, speak to the boss and the team, but there is the potential for a race like the Memsie or races in Sydney,” Charlton said. “It’s a long spring, so we will just work that one out.”
Gold Path continues winter rise in Premier’s Cup Prelude
Golden Path continues to emerge as a quality stayer after adding the Premier’s Cup Prelude to his McKell Cup victory at Randwick on Saturday.
The five-year-old stepped through the grades in the winter, and Mick Price and Michael Kent junior gave him a freshen-up before taking on spring-bound rivals over 1800m on Saturday.
Chad Schofield rode Golden Path ($5) with a lot of confidence gained from a couple of winter wins. say one out and one back before sprinting away to score by 1½ lengths from Victoria Derby winner Manzoice ($31) and Redstone Well ($19)
“He’s really hitting his straps now for a young stayer and progressing very well,” Schofield said. “He really helps himself as a racehorse, puts himself into the race, quickens up nicely and wants to win. We haven’t got to his bottom yet.”
Golden Path will head to the Premier’s Cup in two weeks.
McDonald backs Our Kobison to continue to rise
James McDonald stamped Our Kobison as a group horse in waiting after he toyed with his rivals on his return at Randwick on Saturday.
It was only benchmark 88 company and the winning margin a length, but McDonald was full of praise for Our Kobison, which has now won six of his 10 starts.
“He is so enthusiastic and just enjoys his racing, and he is now settling and putting it together,” McDonald said.
“We were probably a length-and-a-half back further than we anticipated, but he had a great turn of foot when I needed it. It was like a group horse, and he is going places.”
Our Kobison was once again sent out favourite at $1.80 and McDonald had a bit up his sleeve in beating Le Melody ($21). Sebonack ($7.50) closed off late another length away in third.
The win was part of a treble for McDonald with Missile Stakes winner Schwarz and Willaidow.
Gosford trainer Angela Davies will step Our Kobison to the Show County Quality at group 3 level in a fortnight’s time at Randwick.
“I honestly don’t know how good he is, but I’m sure he will get to stakes grade,” Davies said.
“He is going to improve so much off that run, and, if you watch the race closely, James looked after him.
“James only asked him to do enough to win, and he has still run those good sectionals, so it is very exciting going towards the spring carnival.”
Zarose storms into stakes contention
Peter Snowden will look to lift the bar to stakes grade with Zarose after her storming win at Randwick on Saturday.
Snowden joked with jockey Zac Lloyd that he might not have been able to see leader It’s A Knockout on the home turn before Zarose reeled her in.
“I looked up and it was a long way in front and I wasn’t sure she was going to get there until about 50m, but she really dug in,” Lloyd said. “She has a big motor and really used it well.”
Zarose ($4.40 equal fav) had a neck to spare on the line from It’s A Knockout ($5), with Bella Khadlijah ($7.50) 2¼ lengths back in third.
“She has always been a filly we’ve had a bit of an opinion of, and I think we might have got her worked out now, that she is a fresh filly, and ridden that way is the way to go,” Snowden said. “I think she could be up to a stakes race like the Tibbie at Newcastle.”
Breathing the key to Sylvester $101 coup with Sir Freddie
Cessnock trainer Jeremy Sylvester produced the highest-priced Highway Handicap in history when Sir Freddie saluted at $81 at Randwick on Saturday.
Sylvester admitted to getting a bit of $101 about the six-year-old, which touched $126 in betting, but put his celebrations on hold to run the Sun-Herald City to Surf.
“I got him from Victoria and he has had a throat surgery, so it is important to get him in a rhythm and breathing right early in the race and he can do that,” Sylvester said. “I’m an asthmatic and when I run tomorrow the first couple of kilometres are about getting in a rhythm and then I’ll be right. It is just applying it to the horse.”
Sir Freddie launched late to win by a long neck from Carribean King ($6.50) with Tai Lung ($14) finding the line hard three-quarters of a length away in third.
Failed mum Awesome Wonder doubles earnings
Awesome Wonder should have a foal by now but, after missing to Wootton Bassett last year, she has doubled her career earnings on the racetrack.
The staying mare loves the 2400m at Randwick and scored another victory there at $12. She came down the centre of the track to score by two lengths from Kureder ($7.50), with Our Anchorage ($5.50) another three-quarters of a length back in third.
“She is just getting better and I would love to get her over two miles because she just gets stronger the further they go,” co-trainer John O’Shea said. “She prefers the big circumference of Randwick and got a lovely weight drop today.”
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