Charge is Almighty in Pierro colours
The royal blue and red colours made famous by champion 2YO Pierro were carried with some courage yesterday at Wyong by Charge Forward’s progressive 3YO son Almighty Charge.
Piloted by Tommy Berry under topweight of 59 kg, the gelding took an early lead and kicked clear in the straight with enough zest to hold off the fast-finishing Hoybell by a long head. His time for the last 600 metres of the 1350-metre journey was a very smart 33.28.
Pictured: The Manhattan Rain half-brother to Almighty Charge, in the Arrowfield draft at next month’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. (PHOTO: Georgie Lomax)
Bred by Arrowfield’s partnership with Planette Thoroughbred & Belford Productions, Almighty Charge is another example of Charge Forward’s liking for Redoute’s Choice mares, a combination that has produced this season’s 2YO stakes performers Assail, Direct Charge & Moroccan Rose, and Hong Kong Group 1-placed 4YO Best Eleven.
His dam Redoute’s Fever is a product of the Arrowfield alliance with Gainsborough Stud that produced champion filly Miss Finland and Group 1 winner Alverta. In fact, Redoute’s Fever is from a Sadler’s Wells daughter of Champion US 2YO & 3YO filly It’s in the Air whose other grand-daughters include Grilse (dam of Alverta) and Sandrella (dam of Group 1 winner Glencadam Gold).
Almighty Charge was purchased by his trainer Gai Waterhouse for $240,000 from Arrowfield’s 2011 Inglis Australian Easter draft and is raced by Pierro’s owners Greg and Donna Kolivos, with three other owners, including Kiama physiotherapist Mark Burns. He has now won twice, and placed five times in 10 starts.
Charge Forward’s success with his 2YOs this season is well-known – he’s third on that Australian sires’ list – but he’s also making an impact with his 3YOs. Eighteen of them have won in Australia this season, including G3 Cavalry Rose and Listed stakeswinner Urban Groove – and their earnings exceed $750,000.
Charge Forward’s position on both tables may improve after Saturday’s racing: he has 2YO colt Crack A Roadie in the $1 million MRC Blue Diamond S. G1 and 3YO filly Balaclava Lady in the $220,000 MRC Angus Armanasco S. G2.
Arrowfield will present another good-looking son of Redoute’s Fever as Lot 17 at the upcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. He is from the first crop of Group 1 winner Manhattan Rain, half-brother to Redoute’s Choice – which gives the colt a 2 x 3 double-up of the great broodmare Shantha’s Choice. Redoute’s Fever foaled a filly by Charge Forward last spring.
View the Arrowfield & Bellerive yearling drafts for the Melbourne Sale here .
