When John O’Shea celebrated his first Villiers Stakes triumph in 2000, Tom Charlton was barely school age. Fast forward to Saturday and the training partners were side by side as Yorkshire delivered them the latest edition of the famous race, now run as The Ingham (1600m), at Randwick.
The win marked O’Shea’s fourth in the time-honoured feature, while Charlton, now co-trainer, enjoyed his first official success in the event, having been on staff when Kirwan’s Lane defeated Lion’s Roar in 2022.
“I remember we had one-two a few years ago with Kirwan’s Lane and Lion’s Roar so very special,” Charlton said.
Yorkshire ($3.90 fav) stamped himself as one of the country’s most consistent milers, taking his record to eight wins from 11 starts. He assumed control at the top of the straight and held firm to defeat Estadio Mestalla ($9.50) by three-quarters of a length, with Robusto ($26) finishing a further 1-1/4 lengths away.
His campaign looked in jeopardy after finishing tailed off in The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle, when he was diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia.
The stable nursed him back to full health, and he responded by claiming the Festival Stakes (1500m) before emulating Monton’s 2011 achievement of winning the Festival–Ingham double.
“We were in a spot of bother after his first-up run and full credit to everyone and the processes that took place,” Charlton said.
“We were confident we were going to bounce back, but whether we were going to get to a grand final four weeks later able to produce a performance like that was up for debate.
“His record sums him up as a horse. Up the running there, he was having a look around. I think he’s not the finished article yet, which is exciting.”
Yorkshire’s victory guaranteed him a start in the Doncaster Mile (1600m), a future target the stable is already eyeing.
“He will have to keep improving but it’s the type of race we will look towards, for sure,” Charlton said.
Zac Lloyd, who partnered Yorkshire, later completed a feature double by steering Weeping Woman to victory in the Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).
Lloyd said Yorkshire was still learning but deferred to the stable regarding potential clashes with Group 1 winner Linebacker.
“The O’Shea-Charlton team has another good horse (Linebacker) who fits that profile, so I’ll leave it up to them and whatever they want me to ride, I’ll be more than happy to ride,” he said.
Second favourite Gringotts ($4.40) disappointed to finish eleventh, though jockey Nash Rawiller felt the firmer surface blunted his acceleration.
O’Shea’s previous wins came aboard Grey And Gold (2000) and On A High (2003).
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