Charm Spirit sires Gr.2 winner

Charm Spirit sired his second Stakes winner when Aretha won the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders Stakes in New Zealand on Friday.

Aretha showed a wonderful attitude to edge out Rainbow Dash (by Showcasing) in the 1200m race. She is trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, and is out of Stravinsky mare Tsikory. Aretha is the third foal and first runner from Tsikory, who also has a Pour Moi yearling colt.

Co-trainer Forsman said the filly was “very brave” and paid tribute to the ride given to her by Jonathan Riddell: “I think he rode her a treat, stuck to the plan and it came off.”

Not only was it Aretha's first career win (on just her second start) but it was also a first Southern Hemisphere success for Charm Spirit, who shuttles to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand. Charm Spirit’s Group winner in Europe was Yourtimeisnow (Gr.3 Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes last September).

Aretha had finished third in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham in January on her debut. She is owned by her breeder Greg McCarthy and comes from the family of champion mare Horlicks, whose 17 wins included becoming the only New Zealand-bred horse to win the prestigious Gr.1 Japan Cup (in 1989).

There was more to cheer about on Saturday when Gorgeous Noora, owned by David Redvers and new owner David Howden, recorded her first Stakes success in the Listed Hever Sprint at Lingfield. She was given a great ride by Hollie Doyle and was another feather in the cap of her young trainer Archie Watson.

Raven's Pass mare Gorgeous Noora is out of a full sister to triple Gr.2-winning sprinter Muthmir and was bought at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 200,000gns. She will soon visit Zoustar before returning to training - she then has 120 days to run whilst in foal.