Rich Charm is now going for a well deserved spell
Meticulous planning has given trainer Udyta Clarke her biggest pay day when Rich Charm won the VOBIS Gold Sprint at Caulfield.
Rich Charm made it three wins on end when successful in the $250,000 race on Saturday although his trainer was convinced something was wrong on Thursday evening.
“It was a rough afternoon and I thought I’d bring him in early,” Clarke said.
“He laid down and went to sleep and was snoring and when I walked past at four o’clock I thought you’re not well.
“I left him for 30 minutes and then he got up, shook himself off, I took his temperature and thought, no you’re fine, but it was one o’clock when I did leave him.”
Compounding Clarke’s worries is the dam of Rich Charm, Charmly, who is in foal to Nostradamus, has been unwell.
Ridden by Patrick Moloney, Rich Charm who was sent out at $5.50 with William Hill raced clear to record a 1-1/4 length win over the $4.60 favourite Ken’s Dream with Lucky Liberty ($8) a half-head away third.
Clarke explained she had deliberately spaced Rich Charm’s races to take advantage of his rating.
After winning at Caulfield on January 26 the four-year-old wasn’t seen again until successful in the Grand Handicap Sprint at Flemington on March 18.
The Grand Handicap carried prize money of $170,000 but Clarke was worried that if she raced the gelding between the two races he would incur a ratings penalty and be ineligible.
“I had to march time for six weeks and wait for the race to come along, but he did it for me,” Clarke said.
“It’s been another five weeks and he’s gone and done it again.”
Rich Charm has won six of his 14 starts and Saturday’s victory took his prizemoney past the $400,000 mark.
“Right from when this horse was young I knew he was good,” Clarke said.
“There was something about him that showed he was different to other horses.”
Clarke said Rich Charm was now going for a well deserved spell.
