Pfeiffer hopes Tearaway Charlie move will bring change of luck
TEARAWAY Charlie has shown plenty of promise without breaking through in its career to date, but the horse’s new trainer David Pfieffer is optimistic he has the tools to get the best out of the gelding.
The lightly-raced three-year-old is yet to win across its five-race career, but has finished no worse than fifth.
Prior to switching stables, Tearaway Charlie ran a promising second at Nowra on February 26, despite encountering trouble at seemingly every turn. It found itself in a sensational position after the jump, but was pushed three-wide nearing the turn and consequently wilted at the line to finish a disappointing second to the fast-finishing Orpentiva.
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow, but a 60 per cent place strike rate indicates a win is just around the corner.
The horse’s new trainer is hopeful a better run in transit can help Tearaway Charlie break through on Friday in the nation’s capital.
“I think a few things went against him that day at Nowra,” Pfieffer told HorseBetting.com.au.
“First run up at the 1600m and he went well, but we’re taking back to the 1400m and if he works well enough he can redeem himself tomorrow.”
Tearaway Charlie is running in race 6 at Canberra on Friday, which is the XXXX Gold Maiden Handicap.
It will be the gelding’s first attempt at the 1400m journey, and while Pfieffer is unsure exactly what distance best suits his new acquisition so far, Friday will give him a better idea of what that trip could be.
The trainer thinks 1600m could be the ideal distance for Tearaway Charlie, but he is happy to roll the dice first up.
“He went really well over the mile trip last start, but it’s more of the case being that he’s had such a long layoff between starts and he’s new to the stable.
“That’s why he’s dropped back in distance.”
The run on Friday will be the first time Pfieffer has taken the horse out to the track since welcoming the gelding to his stable in late February.
Fellow Myboycharlie progeny Jameka also took longer than expected to break its maiden tag, and while putting a winless Tearaway Charlie in the same conversation as a multiple group one winning horse seems disingenuous, gallopers can suddenly shift gears once they find that elusive first win.
Before Pfieffer can even think about city-grade racing however, the gelding needs to get a victory on the board.
The trainer believes the Canberra run will give him the perfect education going forward.
“It’s only my first start with the horse, so I’m still learning a bit about him.”
If the gelding has shown its stable anything over the course of its burgeoning career, it is that the best way to see how well the horse will do is to get it out on the competitive race track.
Twice the horse has finished dead last in barrier trials and has never finished better than midfield, but Tearaway Charlie seems to lift a gear when it is fighting for the real prize.
Pfieffer is not putting any expectations on the horse, and will let the three-year-old dictate its own future.
“It just comes down to how he copes with his runs and whether he can progress through his grades.”
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