The benefit of race experience proved beneficial for Charm Stone when the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly scored at Flemington.
Victory in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) on Thursday came at Charm Stone’s second start on the Flemington straight course.
Charm Stone finished third to Zulfiqar in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes on October 1, but Price explained the filly had a tough preparation leading up to that race.
After failing to get her barrier certificate in a jump-out at Flemington the week prior, Charm Stone then backed up in a jump-out at Cranbourne six days prior to making her debut.
Sent out the $4.60 favourite under Damian Lane, Charm Stone registered a 1-¾ length victory from Empress Of Wonder ($5) with Hell Queen ($13) a half-length away third.
Charm Stone was a $1.55 million Magic Millions purchase and taking the prize in a Group 3 race early in career will assure her value as a broodmare.
“She’s a beautiful type, big, strong, sound and got a pedigree,” Price said.
“She’s one of Sheamus’ (Mills) buys for the boys and it’s good that she’s now got a Stakes race (win).
“That makes them as broodmares, albeit at start two, and the question will be, what to do now?”
Price indicated Charm Stone was likely to have a break with either the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January or the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in February potential targets.
“Personally, I’m a Group 1 man,” Price said.
“She’s a big, strong filly, she’ll train on, and she’ll have a good, robust two-year-old year, but that’s open for discussion.”
Lane had trialled Charm Stone on the Flemington straight course prior to her debut but elected to ride Krakarib which finished sixth in the Maribyrnong Trial prior to winning the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) last Saturday.
“I must thank the connections for putting me back on,” Lane said.
“I jumped off after she didn’t get her barrier certificate before her first start, so I’m very thankful to be back on her today.
“She just got a little bit lost her first start up the straight here, but having that experience was a lot better today.”
