Another convincing winter win from Charmed Harmony has earned the gelding a shot at the first Group One race of the season.
Charmed Harmony was sent out the $1.45 favourite in Saturday’s Louis Polgar & Jason Vance Handicap (1400m) at Flemington and dominated the race from the front before easing down late to win by 2-1/4 lengths.
Charmed Harmony
“I’m going to throw him in the deep end now. In three weeks’ time I’m going to run him in the Memsie Stakes,” trainer John Sadler said.
“I know he’ll be out of his depth but I reckon he deserves a crack at it.”
The Group One Memsie Stakes is over 1400m at Caulfield under weight-for-age conditions and is likely to attract an star-studded line up.
Charmed Harmony has won his past three starts in 1400m open handicaps during winter and will take a race fitness edge into the race over some of the better-performed horses who will be early in their campaigns.
Sadler brought up a race-to-race double to start the Flemington program after three-year-old Most Wanted scored on debut in the opening race.
Charmed Harmony was ridden by Sadler’s son Tom with the apprentice replacing Katelyn Mallyon who was aboard the previous two starts but is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Tom Sadler took Charmed Harmony to the front and he had a three-length advantage as they straightened for home.
He never looked in danger, coasting home to beat Extra Zero which turned in a pleasing first-up run while Happy As Hell was 1-1/4 lengths away third.
Second favourite Desert Jeuney bombed the start by several lengths and has been ordered back to the trials.
