Charm Stone claims Robert Sangster Stakes to give Mark Zahra Group 1 double at Morphettville
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Brilliant mare Charm Stone flew home to snatch Saturday's $1m Robert Sangster Stakes as jockey Mark Zahra ruled Morphettville for a day.
The Melbourne Cup-winning hoop secured a treble on day one of the Adelaide racing carnival, winning both the Group 1 Sangster and Australasian Oaks, along with earlier success aboard a dominant Legacy Bound in the Group 3 Breeders' Stakes.
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Charm Stone's Sangster triumph made it an incredible four wins in the race for gun trainer Mick Price, who was full of praise for the daughter of I Am Invincible post-race.
'The very pleasing thing is she's a beautiful mare. We've had her since she was a baby,' Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jr, said.
'She's one of Sheamus' (Mills) yearling buyers and look, he's one of the main players in the stable with Heath Newton and Anthony and it's just very, very satisfying to get a Group 1 for those guys, the mare has deserved it.'
As for his star rider, Price had a short and sharp assessment.
• What the jockeys said: 2025 Robert Sangster Stakes
'Zahra is Zahra, he just lives in the Group 1 world, doesn't he? But really, really pleased for the mare and the owning group,' he said.
Fellow interstate raiders Ameena and Commemorative filled out the placings in the Sangster, Royal Ascot winner Asfoora finished seventh.
Zahra has every reason to keep coming back to the Adelaide racing carnival, he has now won three Group 1s over the last two carnivals, along with an SA Derby win aboard Jungle Magnate in 2022, also for Price and Kent Jr.
'It's special. A bit of luck this time last year, a bit more luck this year, but nice to get a couple of good rides for people I ride for, and the races have just worked out, everything went in my favour today,' Zahra said.
Mark Zahra celebrates after winning the Robert Sangster Stakes aboard Charm Stone. Picture: Makoto Kaneko
Charm Stone will now head to $1m The Goodwood (1200m) on March 10, but Zahra may have another ride in the Morphettville sprint.
'I might have already locked into one, but we can see,' he said.
'I think Giga Kick's coming that day. Anyway, we'll celebrate about this one first. We'll worry about what's happening in two weeks.'
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Interest rising in Reserve Bank
- Brad Waters
Exciting three-year-old Reserve Bank roared into The Goodwood contention with his dominant win in the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m).
In a prophetic pre-race interview, co-trainer Mick Price said Reserve Bank would remain in Adelaide for The Goodwood on May 10 had he won the Tobin Bronze Stakes.
Price even perfectly described the run Reserve Bank would have, three-wide with cover from his wide gate, in his pre-race chat.
The tactics left star jockey Blake Shinn with one job – ensure Reserve Bank had clear running to work into the race from the home turn.
Shinn perfectly carried out his task, ensuring Reserve Bank found no traffic problems, enabling the colt to work through his gears in the straight to score by 1½ lengths over Sabaj ($9) and Winnasedge ($16).
'Well, he jumped, which was good, and gave Blake Shinn an option to be midfield,' Price, who trains Reserve Bank in partnership with Michael Kent Jr, said.
'He got cover, but he was strong to the finish and was strong 1200 (metres).
'So, I'll leave him here with Chris Bieg and we'll train him together and hopefully he can run in Goodwood and run well.'
Bookmakers promoted Reserve Bank to the third line of Goodwood betting at $8. The Everest winner Giga Kick is the $2.70 favourite in early betting on the $1m feature.
Price and Kent Jr will shoot for their second win in The Goodwood after the pair completed a minor upset with Lombardo in 2022.
Price also won The Goodwood twice when training alone from his previous base at Caulfield.
He prepared three-year-old colt Perfectly Ready to win The Goodwood from barrier 18 in 2006 and with the classy mare Velocitea in 2010.
The Bjorn Baker-trained Imperial Force started as the $3.70 favourite but finished ninth with Jamie Melham in the saddle.
Originally published as Charm Stone claims Robert Sangster Stakes to give Mark Zahra Group 1 double at Morphettville
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