Charmander Blows on By - 3 Win Friday

With plenty to recommend him, Charmander (3 g Shooting to Win - Moment of Choice, by Choisir) stormed home to win the $12,000 BJW Motors Maiden 1200 metres on 4 March at Awapuni.

Following a third and a second in the first two races on the programme, going one better with Charmander provided symmetry.

Freshened after running good times (34.5 and 34.4) for third and fifth respectively, in his first two starts, Charmander kept up a strong gallop to win a trial on 14 February at Te Rapa, and rated a top three contender. However the manner in which he won was another story, making $2.50 & $1.60 tote price seem generous.

Content settling back, tracking up nicely from 600m, Charmander looked in another class when presented to the outside by Te Akau apprentice Joe Kamaruddin and proceeded to unleash a devastating finish.

On footing upgraded to Good3 after race one, Charmander ran 1200 metres in 1:11.4, winning by two and a half lengths.

“Charmander was really good from back in the field,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “I always think that when they use the inside bend, as was the case, it plays on speed, but there had been a couple earlier that revved up and won getting down the outside.

“He's a hard horse to get a line on because he's a lazy track worker. But he'd had time to strengthen and was coming off a good trial, so I was really pleased with the way he won.

“It looked a nice race for him and it's another winner from the Little Barn. They're going well to have had a third win in the last couple of days, so well done to Dad (Paul Richards) and Myra (Crawford-Smith).

Owned by Mr. Edmund Wong, Charmander was purchased as a weanling by David Ellis CNZM for $30,000 at 2019 Karaka May Sale, from draft of Monovale Farm.

“Edmund is a really good client of mine from Hong Kong, and the way Charmander won suggests he'll quickly win more races,” Ellis said.

“He's a great man to train for and I'm really looking forward to being able to leave New Zealand, go to see him in Hong Kong, and spend some time with him.”

Young Darley stallion Shooting to Win (Northern Meteor) has already sired over 300 winners, including recent Group 1 winner Mascarpone, and is touted by highly respected judges in the New Zealand breeding industry.

Dam-sire Choisir (Danehill Dancer), a history making racehorse that won Group 1 sprints in both hemispheres, is also the sire of Leading Second Season stallion Proisir.

Charmander is from the versatile family of smart staying horse Kapitain Kash (Kaapstad), the Counties Cup (Gr.2, 2100m) winner, as well as Champion Hong Kong Sprinter Aerovelocity (Pins).

Charmander was strapped by Lydia Truesdale.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz