Another Flemington win for Gordon Richards
Adelaide trainer Gordon Richards has added to an impressive winter strike-rate in Melbourne.
Gordon Richards is making a habit of winning at Flemington this winter, with Charossa giving the Adelaide trainer his third straight success at the Melbourne track.
Richards sent promising sprinter Gytrash to Melbourne to win twice in June, including the Listed Creswick Stakes, and Charossa was the trainer’s first Flemington runner since in Saturday’s VRC Member Jeffery Overington Handicap (2000m).
Coming off two-straight wins in South Australia, five-year-old gelding Charossa was posted three-wide run on the pace but kicked away early in the straight before scoring by two lengths.
Heir To The Throne led in the chasers in second while Dabiyr was another 1-1/4-lengths away third.
“When Gordon brings them over they are always in really good form, and this horse was terrific today,” jockey Damian Lane said.
Richards said he had the option of either a 1700m or 2000m race on Saturday’s program and decided the longer race was the easier assignment despite a distance concern once the track became heavy.
“I thought the 2000 metres on a heavy track might have seen him out, because he just gets 2000,” Richards said.
“But he got it well.
“It was a big win. He’s a good little horse.
“Nothing worked out for him from the wide barrier but he rated him well and when he had a kick at the top of the straight, I thought ‘he’s probably going to be a chance here’.”
Richards said Gytrash was back in work and will likely kick off his spring campaign in early September.
Jockey Michael Walker, who rode placegetter Dabiyr, was stood down by doctors after the race because of illness.