The decision to put a four-kilo claimer on the resuming Charger proved to be right on the money in the $70,000 HJM Asia Cup, a Class 3 Division 1 race over 1200m on Friday night.
As the Dick Turpin entire was returning from a four-month break, trainer John O’Hara and his assistant Stephen Crutchley wanted to ease his way back into competition. Even with a handicap of 52 kilos, they still preferred to max out the claim.
After a bit of a search, O’Hara finally picked trainer Lee Freedman’s in-form apprentice jockey Iskandar Rosman who duly went on to reward connections with a 10-out-of-10 ride.
Beginning rather smartly, Charger landed among the leading bunch early, but Iskandar showed good judgement by electing to drop his mount out of the speed battle upfront to instead take a backseat in fifth spot, three off the fence but with heaps of cover.
The worse off in the early scramble was short-priced favourite Lim’s Lightning (Troy See) who was caught in a losing battle trying to come across from his outermost alley (14). Punching the breeze four wide, he was always out of his comfort zone and was unsurprisingly a spent force when the chips were down.
As Lim’s Lightning faded out of the picture, race-leader Man Of Mystery (Benny Woodworth) pressed forth on his lonesome along the rails, but he could not offer much of a resistance when the 48-kilo-shouldering Charger came sizzling by after being angled out for his run by Iskandar at the top of the straight.
Looking full of running, albeit a touch inclined to lug in, O’Hara’s ward easily sailed past Man Of Mystery before going on to greet the judge by half-a-length from Richebourg (John Sundradas) who rocketed home late from the rear. Scorpio (Vlad Duric) took third place another length away.
The winning time was 1min 10.12secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.
“I’m very happy (owner) Constance Cheng (of Toast Trusts & J Ho Stable) got another win (after Fame Star last Sunday),” said O’Hara who was himself enjoying a good start to the season being now at his fifth win.
“She has been a great supporter of racing for a long time and deserves every winner that comes her way.”
Crutchley said the feather weight went a long way towards the win but also acknowledged Charger’s good first-up record.
“It’s the 48 kilos and that kid rode him exceptionally well, too,” said the New Zealand horseman.
“I told him to settle the horse off the speed and not to go too early. What a good ride!
“This horse is not too bad. He had a break and came back good.
“I was happy with his fitness. He was pretty fit, and he also has a good record first-up.
“He’s still a colt, but he is well-behaved. Actually, he doesn’t know he’s a colt!”
One person who is feeling all pumped up these days is Iskandar. The young Malaysian rider continued his current good patch of form with a third winner following his riding double from the previous Friday, My Gold and My Dreamliner.
“I’m very happy I now have three winners this year,” said the 25-year-old.
“I just followed the instructions which were to settle in midfield. I tried my best and it’s paid off.”
Charger has now taken his record to four wins, four seconds and two thirds from 21 starts for stakes earnings that are inching closer to the $300,000 for Cheng and her partners.
