Tough mare Pandora Charm will never win her owners another Stradbroke Hcp but they continue to have plenty of fun with her.
Pandora Charm is owned by a syndicate of nine women headed by Sally Laing and Nicole Aboud who are the wife and daughter of former Queensland Turf Club secretary David Laing.
Several of the syndicate also shared in the ownership of La Montagna who won the 2006 Group One Stradbroke Hcp and Pandora Charm races in the same colours.
Pandora Charm ($7) scored her fifth win when she beat Do Not Go Gentle ($10) in a head-bobbing finish to the Steve Venn Hcp over 1200m.
The mare cost $10,000 as a yearling at the 2012 Magic Millions QTIS sales and has now returned $94,400 in prize money.
Trainer Barry Baldwin said while Pandora Charm had not lived up to her early potential she had been a good money-spinner.
“I thought with the claim she would be the best of my runners today and that’s the way it turned out. She hasn’t been far away of late,” Baldwin said.
Apprentice Alannah Fancourt continued her good run at the metropolitan midweek meetings as Pandora Charm was her fourth winner in the past three weeks.
Consistent mare Highly Geared ($5) continued to make up for her belated start to racing when she won the 1000m Costa Construction Hcp.
Highly Geared is nearing six years of age, but did not have her first start until May last year when unplaced at Wagga in NSW. She had been in paddock for much of her early years before her original owners sold her in a lot of four mares.
First starter Rock De France ($17) upset a confident plunge on Dam Wonderful ($10 into $4.80) in the Anniversary Two-Year-Old (1000m).
Bridget Grylls brought Rock De France down the outside to grab Dam Wonderful in the final 50m.
“Rock De France is like a lot of the Rothesay breed and they get better with time,” said trainer Kelly Schweida.
Hot Saga ($17), who spends his time between north Queensland and Brisbane, pushed his prize money past the $200,000 mark by winning the K Smith and Sons Jewellers Hcp over 1800m.
It was the Gary Duncan trained gelding’s first win since taking the Innisfail Cup last August.
