HAIL the queen of Mid North Coast racing--Charmmebaby--a local victor in the $100,000 Stacks Law Firm Taree Cup (2000m) at Manning Valley Race Club's meeting before a bumper crowd at the Bushland Drive Racecourse, Taree, on Sunday November 21.
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"It is unbelievable what she has done for us," said Glen Milligan, son of Taree trainer Bob Milligan, of the five-year-old mare ($7.50) bought for $14,000 and took her prizemoney to $321,555 in 23 starts for him,the first being in June last year.
Unfortunately his father, badly injured in a horse accident several years ago, was admitted to Manning Base Hospital at Taree on Thursday and couldn't be trackside to bathe in the glory of the win.
But Bob's wife Margaret was trackside for the presentation and took a video replay to the hospital to show Bob.
Cup records from 1976 show this was Bob's first cup win, Glen not sure if his father had a win previously.
It was certainly an exciting finish with Charmmebaby, ridden a heady race by regular jockey Grant Buckley, scoring by a nose from Battle Guardian ($9), also trained on the track by newcomer to the local ranks, Mark Stewart, and ridden by Glen's apprentice jockey Georgina McDonnell.
"It was a tough win at her first start at the distance," Glen said.
"She didn't get the ideal run but to her credit she toughed it out and gave 110 percent.
"I would like to find another like her," he said of the mare which cost $14,000.
Charmmebaby was lucky to race as the stable was worried by her 61kg impost, thinking she would get around 59kgs.
His mother praised Glen for looking after Charmmebaby for his father--"who is a good teacher."
Charmmebaby settled mid-field early but nearing the turn started to over-race when a couple of horses started their moves.
"I didn't want to strangle her and I thought I better go when I did," Buckley said.
"She just wanted to go," he said in giving her head on the turn to tackle for the lead.
Meanwhile, the drifting $4.40 favourite Margie Bee, trained at Wyong by Kristen Buchanan,was feeling the stress of being with the leaders and started to weaken, finishing last by just over 11 lengths in a shock result.
Stewart only recently moved to Taree to tackle country cups and said the soft track suited his galloper.
The track played beautifully despite overnight rain and the showers stayed away until just before the last race, the big crowd enjoying getting back to top-line racing again.
