She may not have been firing on all cylinders according to her rider, but Precious Charm still found enough to claim another summer highlight at Geelong on Saturday.
Prepared by Symon Wilde, the tough mare dug deep on a Good 3 track to secure victory in a thrilling edition of the $200,000 Coastal Classic (1700m).
The success followed her dead-heat with Holymanz in the Werribee Cup four weeks earlier, and jockey Harry Coffey suggested the narrow margin did not tell the full story of the win.
“I don’t think she was at her best and she showed a real will to win,” Coffey said.
“She might have been feeling that firm ground on the back-up, so it took a lot of urging to get her to win, but she may have been looking after herself.
“That’s understandable, she’s done a great job, she’s been racing in true heart and this track’s starting to get firm now and I don’t know if that’s right in her wheelhouse.”
Starting at $3.90, Precious Charm lifted her career record to nine wins from 23 appearances, edging out Verdad ($6.50), while Reset The Jazz ($5.50) finished a head further back in third.
Holymanz, sent out the $2.35 favourite in search of a third straight Coastal Classic, travelled well just off midfield and appeared a chance turning for home before battling on to finish fifth, 2¾ lengths from the winner.
With Wilde already on his way back to Warrnambool after earlier success with Darkbonee, racing manager Ben Casanelia represented the stable and praised the mare, who lined up at Geelong after a fifth placing in the Listed Lord Stakes.
“It has been a fantastic preparation and she has always probably had the ability but it has taken some time to get there and it has all come together for her,” Casanelia said.
“She had no weight and she was drawn well. She is in form and the negatives were probably the harder track and the back-up because you’re never quite sure how mares will back up.
“She put it together and Harry rode her an absolute treat.”
The feature win completed a double on the day for Coffey, who had earlier partnered Sweethearted to victory for Phillip Stokes.
The post Precious Charm digs deep in the Coastal Classic first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
