Buyers Missed Group One Winner Charmont

There was a missed opportunity at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale at Karaka as one of the passed in yearlings was Charmont, winner of the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Rapa on Saturday.

A High Chaparral granddaughter of the multiple G1 winner and Melbourne Cup runner-up Champagne (Zabeel), Charmont didn’t meet her $250,000 reserve at Karaka and was retained by her breeder Bob Emery.

She has sicne become a proven top-level performer, winning the Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes and placing in another seven stakes races including the G1 New Zealand Oaks.

Yet another G1 winner for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Charmont unleashed a scintillating sprint in the last 200 metres to edge out Thee Auld Floozie (Mastercraftsman) and Mime (Mastercraftsman) in a tight finish.

Charmont has now had 24 starts for four wins, 12 placings and more than $290,000 in stakes.

“That was a great win and she really deserves it,” Forsman said. “She’s been Group One placed and she’s been thereabouts in really strong races all the way through her career.”

• Invercargill filly Showemup joined a tight race for the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series title when she recorded a dominant win in Saturday’s third leg, the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes at Riccarton.

The Sally McKay-trained runner had run fast-finishing placings in the Listed Gore Guineas and Dunedin Guineas earlier this season before she was stretched out to 1600 metres for the first time in her career on Saturday.

Making her first appearance in the Southern Filly of the Year Series, Showemup burst through a gap along the inside rail soon after the field turned for home and defied the attempts of Grand Soleil (Savabeel) to run her down.

Now the winner of three of her nine starts and more than $64,000 in stakes, Showemup (Showcasing x Quizzical) earned 7 Southern Filly Series points to move into equal second place on the table alongside La Bella Diosa (So You Think) and Residential (Pins).

Series leader Starvoia (Starcraft), who has 8 points, did not run in Saturday’s race. Residential finished sixth.

Grand Soleil picked up 4 points for her second placing on Saturday and now sits in equal fifth place on the table.

Sharing that position is Dontpokethetiger (Beneteau), who has now finished third in two series races and earned 2 points on each occasion.

The Series concludes with the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) on April 22.

With the National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka just around the corner, Saturday’s race was a fitting result as Showemup was sold at the 2014 sale where she was bought by Clayview Farm for just $2250.