Leading Sydney jockey Blake Shinn will return to Melbourne on Saturday and he has been booked to ride Charmed Harmony in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
Blake Shinn has the chance to record another Group 1 victory when he rides Charmed Harmony in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Charmed Harmony is set to make his Group 1 debut in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes after stringing together four wins on the trot since he took out the Wilson Medic One Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on July 4.
The Hussonet gelding led from start to finish to take out the Bruce Gadsden Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on July 18 and he was far too good for his rivals again in the Polgar & Vance Handicap (1400m) at the same venue on August 8.
Trainer John Sadler was keen to run Charmed Harmony in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29, but he missed out on a place in the field and he instead recorded another comfortable victory in the Hockingstuart Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29.
Shinn said at trackwork this morning that he was thrilled to receive the chance to ride Charmed Harmony in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and he is confident that the front-running gelding will give his rivals something to catch in the Group 1 event this weekend.
“I was fortune enough to pick-up the ride yesterday,” Shinn said.
“He is a horse that is in great form – he has won his last four starts.
“He is a free-running type of horse that makes his own luck from the front and I am sure if he can get a bit of give in the track on Saturday he will run well.
“It is obviously a competitive field and it always is every year, but if he can control the race up front he should be thereabouts.”
Shinn is also set to ride Gai Waterhouse-trained Dark Steel in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) after he steered the son of Redoute’s Choice to victory in the TAB Rewards Maiden Plate (1200m) at Canterbury on September 16.
The talented hoop is chasing his first win in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes after previously missing the placings with Cargo Cult (eighth behind Rewaaya in 2006), Our Egyptian Raine (last behind Barely A Moment in 2005) and Tenacious Spirit (fourth behind Regal Roller in 2004).
Charmed Harmony is currently available at 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes odds of $10 and he is on the fifth line of betting behind Disposition ($4.50), Stratum Star ($5.50), Under The Louvre ($8) and Lucky Hussler ($8.50).
