Charlie Boy bags a win on debut
The Gerald Ryan-trained Charlie Boy will head straight to the paddock in preparation for the lucrative two-year-old races next autumn after overcoming difficulties to win Saturday's ATC Membership Handicap (1100m).
The son of Vinery's first season sire Myboycharlie was tightened up shortly after the barriers crashed back and for the first time on a racetrack was forced to settle behind horses.
"That was impressive. Gerald has galloped him on his own because he has a tendency to go a bit keen," Ryan's stable foreman Brad Banfield said.
"In his trial he led easily and raced away from them so to do that today augurs well for his next campaign."
Jockey Glyn Schofield parked in the one-out-one-back spot before peeling out to mount a challenge rounding the home turn.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Windjammer kicked clear at the 300 metres and looked to have established a winning break before Charlie Boy knuckled down to nail him on the line.
Charlie Boy ($2.20 eq fav) defeated Windjammer ($2.20 eq fav) by a half-length with the Gary Portelli-trained All The Talk ($18) a further 1-1/4 lengths away in third.
Banfield said the
Golden Slipperwas a potential target for the two-year-old despite being a
Magic Millions horse.
"We'll spell him straight away and bring him back for those lead-up races (to the Golden Slipper) in the early autumn," he said.
"He's definitely above average."
Schofield was equally impressed with Charlie Boy giving the galloper a wrap that would excite his owners.
"I copped a squeeze at the start and that put me on the back foot. Nash (Rawiller - Windjammer) got away from us at the top of the straight but I knew I had something up my sleeve," he said.
"In the last 150 metres he really sprouted wings. He's one of the better ones of ridden for quite some time."
The market: The winner
Charlie Boy opened at $1.70 but eased to $2.20.
Windjammer opened at $2.50 and firmed into $2.20 while
All The Talk was rock solid at $18. Outside the placegetters, North Spur opened $19, eased to $41 then firmed to start at $21. The on-course market closed at 113 percent.
