In-form Real Charm leads a smart field of fillies and mares in the Starstruck Classic 2014 at Ascot Racecourse this weekend, the Adam Durrant-trained galloper shooting for her third win on the trot.
Drawn in barrier six in the 12-starter field for this year’s $100,000 Listed Starstruck Classic (1600m), the four-year-old daughter of Reset is set to be ridden by the state’s best hoop William Pike.
Pike was aboard Real Charm last time out replacing Paul Harvey who rode her to victory over 1500m on November 29, the pair combining to win the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m) by a quarter length on December 6.
She returns for another shot at black-type summer success then on Saturday but goes up two kilos from her Jungle Dawn winning weight (55kg) to 57kg.
The Starstruck Classic weights are led by the Simon Miller-trained Miss Rose De Lago (59kg) and Grant Williams’s Antique Belle (58.5kg) who are the only two with more kilos than Real Charm.
Encosta De Lago four-year-old Miss Rose De Lago jumps from barrier five with Shaun McGruddy taking over for Tommy Berry who was in the saddle for her last start third when only 0.35 lengths off Real Charm in the Jungle Dawn.
Jungle Dawn Classic runner-up Need A Lift also runs in the Starstruck on Saturday from barrier two with 55.5kg for Lark Hill trainer Paige Kenney.
Before the Jungle Dawn meanwhile Miss Rose De Lago ran fourth to Black Heart Bart, likely favourite for Saturday’s $100,000 Listed R.S. Crawford Stakes (1000m), in the Listed Carbine Club of WA Stakes (1400m) and so has a nice record at the track and distance (2-1-1-0).
Antique Belle is also drawn well in barrier three for Peter Hall and comes off a string of good spring – summer runs.
A five-year-old daughter of Redoute’s Choice, she won the Listed Jungle Mist Classic (1200m) on November 22 then went up to Group 3 company when third to Watermans Bay a fortnight back in the A.J. Scahill Stakes (1400m).
Along with Real Charm the only other last start winner in the mix is Gavin Slater’s Teofilo mare Resonates who won over 1410m at Bunbury on December 7.
Other notable hopes include the Dan Morton-trained Dubawi four-year-old Fast Flowing who ran fifth in the Jungle Dawn and veteran Barley A Moment seven-year-old No Time To Flirt.
See below for the full Starstruck Classic 2014 field, barriers, jockeys and weights with odds to open online at Ladbrokes.com.au shortly!
2014 Starstruck Classic Final Field & Barrier Draw
Ascot Race 6 (4:15pm local) – 20/12/2014
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 355×212643 | MISS ROSE DE LAGO | Simon A Miller | Shaun Mc Gruddy | 5 | 59kg |
| 2 | 22×3503413 | ANTIQUE BELLE | Grant Williams | Peter Hall | 3 | 58.5kg |
| 3 | 1273×85411 | REAL CHARM | Adam Durrant | William Pike | 6 | 57kg |
| 4 | 4720×31342 | NEED A LIFT | Paige Kenney | Takahide Ikenushi | 2 | 55.5kg |
| 5 | 2320544315 | FAST FLOWING (NZ) | Daniel Morton | Shaun O’Donnell | 11 | 55kg |
| 6 | 146239×777 | KORENICA | Graeme Ballantyne | Jason Whiting | 1 | 55kg |
| 7 | 72266539×6 | MYSTIC DUST | Paul Tapper | Steven Parnham | 9 | 55kg |
| 8 | 771297×634 | NO TIME TO FLIRT | Robin Elliott | Lucas Camilleri | 12 | 55kg |
| 9 | x92723x641 | RESONATES | Gavin Slater | Ben Kennedy | 7 | 55kg |
| 10 | 411x4257x6 | SONGBURG | Justin Warwick | Ms Lucy Warwick (a) | 8 | 55kg |
| 11 | 34344×4164 | VAMPI LASS | Ben Pearce | Alan Kennedy | 10 | 55kg |
| 12 | x196121458 | VITAL IMPORTANCE | Neville Parnham | Chris Parnham (a) | 4 | 55kg |
