Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Charm Stone, the lone filly and only Melbourne based horse has drawn barrier one in Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m).

Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr are looking for back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) and will saddle up the lone filly in the race with Charm Stone drawing the inside gate at Rosehill.

Only one filly has won the Golden Rose and never in its traditional place in the Spring with Forensics winning in the Autumn of 2008 due to an equine influenza outbreak delaying some races.

Horses drawn barrier one over the Rosehill 1400m win 12.5% of races on average, 2% higher than the next best barrier, with Kent Jnr confirming that regular jockey Damian Lane will make the trip to Sydney to ride the I Am Invincible filly.

Speaking on Sky Radio, Kent Jnr said it was business as usual for the filly at home and expects her to handle both the rise in trip and grade.

“She pulled up very well from that run, she was squealing, licking her bin… she didn’t really know she’d gone around,” Kent Jnr said.

Her main bit of work was Saturday morning, she sat off Laced Up heels, they went four-three, Sydney way on the grass and she worked brilliantly… she pulled up beautifully, scoped up clean… hopefully she travels well and takes to her new surrounds nicely.”

Both Jacquinot and Charm Stone tackled the Golden Rose at their sixth start and while Jacquinot was a colt, Kent Jnr said he and Charm Stone aren’t too dissimilar.

“Clearly Jaciquinot’s a Group One horse and I think this filly is a Group One horse in the making, she’s got a beautiful temperament, she’s got big, long strides and she can maintain a long run,” Kent Jnr said.

“I can’t help be scared of the opposition here, Shinzo has been trialling so well, I think Cylinder’s ready to explode and even Gary Portelli’s horse Encap was very good so I think it’ll be a very strong race and she’ll obviously be the first filly to win it if she does,” Kent Jnr said.

Cylinder (barrier 4) holds the call with TAB at $4 from Shinzo (10) at $5 and King Colorado (9) at $7. Charm Stone (1) is on the fourth line of betting at $7.50 ahead of Militarize (2) and Encap (3) at $10.

Reference: Racing and Sports