THE feel good story of the spring, Rich Charm winning the Group 2 Linlthgow Stakes on Victoria Derby Day for his 70-year-old trainer Udyta Clarke with young jockey Patrick Moloney in the saddle, continued last Saturday with the trio combining to win the $250,000 Newmarket VOBIS Gold Sprint over 1,200 metres at Caulfield.

Coming from well back in the field, Rich Charm charged home to dive between a wall of four and win by a length. “If I didn’t have a good heart I think I’d die having him, he just has such thrilling finishes, he’s just an incredible horse,” said Clarke who also part-owns the Danerich five-year-old.

Reticent to travel interstate, Moloney is hoping that Clarke will reconsider. “He’s just a really genuine horse and he’s fantastic for racing,” said Moloney. “I’d love to twist Mrs Clarke’s arm to take him to Adelaide for the ($1 million Group 1) Goodwood (1,200 metres on May 19th) because I think he’d be a serious threat but she probably won’t travel him and that’s fair enough because it’s her horse and I can’t fault the way she’s placed him so far.”

Aussie juveniles at Royal Ascot?

WHILE Shoals competing at Royal Ascot would break new ground for Australian-bred three-year-old fillies, more remarkable would be an Australian-bred two-year-old making the journey. Putting those plans into motion is Anthony Mithen from Rosemont Stud who has a number of two-year-olds by Starspangledbanner bred to northern hemisphere time, from nine mares that travelled to Coolmore in 2015.

Rosemont Stud’s conditioner Mark Young is in charge of the two most likely, the filly Luck Favours and a half-brother to the Vinery Stakes winner Montoya’s Secret. Having completed vaccinations and gathered advice from Peter Moody and Troy Cortsens, Mithen has also been in touch with Ascot’s Nick Smith and International Racehorse Transport to align their travel with Ascot-bound Redkirk Warrior.

“If it won’t be mission accomplished, it’ll certainly be mission attempted,” said Mithen, who highlighted the success Starspangledbanner and his progeny have had at Royal Ascot.

“I’m working on the theory that the Aussie two-year-olds are probably a whole lot more precocious and forward than the Europeans, given our climate and need for speed,’’ he added. “If Wesley Ward can do it with those big, hulking American two-year-olds each year at Royal Ascot, perhaps a few Aussie two-year-olds bred to northern time can do it as well.”

Shoals on Royal Ascot path

ROYAL Ascot-bound Shoals, a Fastnet Rock filly from the family of Redoute’s Choice, travelled to the Cranbourne trials on Monday as she continues her June build-up. A dual Group 1 winner against fillies and mares, she will again contest that class when she ventures to Adelaide for the $1 million Robert Sangster Stakes over 1,200 metres, run as the sponsored Ubet Classic at Morphettville next Saturday.

“It’s a very good race this year. Probably one of the best they’ve had I’d think,” said trainer Anthony Freedman. “It won’t be an easy task but she’ll come into in on fresh legs and she’s a competitor and she doesn’t run badly too much. I think we’d use that race to decide whether we go (to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot). She’d want to probably win or be unlucky to make that trip but first thing first. We’ll get there and try our hand and base our decision on that.”

Snitzel tops $220,000

REIGNING champion sire Snitzel, who is on well target to repeat that effort, has had his service fee lifted by Arrowfield Stud to A$220,000, the highest of his career. Retired to stud in 2006 at a fee of $33,000 he has sired 12 individual Group 1 winners from a total of 77 stakes-winners and was responsible for 10 $1 million yearlings through the 2018 sales season, with his yearlings averaging just over $500,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions and Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale.

Aquanita case

begins at last

THE Aquanita scandal that shocked racegoers with the alleged systemic bi-carbonate tubing of horses over an eight-year period is due to begin proceedings at the Victorian Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Monday. Stewards laid 271 charges against eight former and (then) current employees of the now defunct Aquanita Racing stables.

Head of the tree was trainer Robert Smerdon who, along with float driver Greg Nelligan, faced the lion’s share of charges, 115 and 123 respectively. Smerdon, Nelligan, and his wife Denise Nelligan (also charged) have indicated they won’t appear before the tribunal, which does not have the power to compel attendance.

In a new twist this week, counsel for Robert Smerdon has submitted that the charges against his client should not be heard as Smerdon has handed in his trainer’s licence. The move may be an effort to thwart the case heading to a higher tribunal which has the capacity to compel Smerdon to testify. That scenario can play out if the RAD Board finds against Smerdon and issues a penalty that Racing Victoria deems unsatisfactory and appeals to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, an avenue successfully used by Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh to overturn their cobalt charges.

What makes the latter scenario intriguing is that should Smerdon testify it may possibly open the door for a class action for damages led by disgruntled owners. Key to the case was the 17,000 text messages stewards downloaded from Greg Nelligan’s phone.