Sharon Lee-Chapman
Leading young sire Charm Spirit's progeny continued on with their fine form overnight when his three-year-old son Kick On defeated the older horses to land a thrilling renewal of the Gr.3 Tattersalls Sovereign Stakes (1600m) in England.
From the stable of champion Newmarket trainer John Gosden, Kick On produced a performance reminiscent of his own sire's relentless courage and class to hold off Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) hero Accidental Agent.
"To be honest, from where I was standing I wasn't sure if he had won, but thankfully he stuck his neck out,” assistant trainer Thady Gosden said.
“He was three wide the whole way and tried his heart out and considering the second horse is a Royal Ascot Group One winner, it was pretty stiff competition."
Kick On has now won on four occasions including two black type events, having previously won the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on his seasonal return.
"He went to post bright and relaxed,” jockey Oisin Murphy said. “John (Gosden) has spent time freshening him up and he was in really good order today. The horse was giving his all and even if we'd got beaten, there'd have been no complaints. With an attitude like his, he is bound to win more big races.”
Charm Spirit has also made an excellent start to his stud career in the Southern Hemisphere with seven individual winners of ten races from his first crop, which have just turned three.
These include last Saturday's impressive winner Heirborn, who defied a moderate tempo and a wide passage to close well from the rear in claiming the VRC Member Helen Saffin Handicap (1400m) at Flemington.
The Anthony Freedman-trained three-year-old is unbeaten in two starts and is expected to progress further with a step-up in distance and holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
A day earlier at Ballarat, Charm Spirit was also represented by the impressive debut winner (1000m) Leporem Star for trainer Robert Hickmott.
His best southern hemisphere performer to date is last season’s Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained leading two-year-old Aretha, who won the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and was twice Group One placed, is being aimed at the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) this term.
A triple Group One winning miler, Charm Spirit is the highest earning son of leading international sire and sire of sires Invincible Spirit and stands at Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand. -NZ Racing Desk
