The Waterhouse/Bott 2-year-old production line struck once again at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with a quinella in the TAB Handicap (1100m).
Sporting the brown with white epaulettes silks of the Henderson family, Regan Bayliss guided the Shalaa (IRE) filly Southern Charm to a hard-fought half-head win over her better-fancied stablemate Johhny The Kid (Trapeze Artist) with the Snitzel debutant Deconstruction back in third.
With two previous starts, Southern Charm was the most experienced runner in the field.
After a debut sixth in the Listed Debutant Stakes behind Coleman last October, Southern Charm was next seen 16 weeks later when a troubled fifth behind the talented Zousain filly Drifting, who ventured to Melbourne to finish second in the Listed Furphy Trophy at Flemington won by Bold Bastille.
“Fitness may have been the difference, having had that run this preparation,” Adrian Bott said.
“She may have been a bit disappointing that day, but the form has held up. We went back to the drawing board and poured the work into her.
“She did a great job; was able to settle and it allowed her to be strong late.
“She is a nice filly with upside.
“(Billy The Kid) is still a little raw, and the inside draw may have worked against him. His inexperienced showed but he fought it out.”
A $180,000 purchase for the Henderson Racing & Breeding Trust from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Southern Charm is the first foal of the Redoute’s Choice mare In A While.
A Newcastle winner and placed at Canterbury, In a While is a three-quarter sister to the Listed MVRC William Crockett Stakes winner Wee Nessy (Snitzel).
A descendent of Denise’s Joy, In A While has been good to Arrowfield who sold her $520,000 as a yearling before buying her back out of the Waller yard for $70,000 on Inglis Digital in 2020.
In a While has a yearling colt by Maurice (JPN), which was a $220,000 purchase for Cheltenham Stables from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the Magic Millions in January.
After foaling a Pinatubo (IRE) filly in November, In A While was covered by Dundeel.
It was a good couple of minutes for Woodside Park Stud’s Shalaa (IRE). Not long after Southern Charm credited the son of Invincible Spirit with his third 2-year-old winner of the season, the Stuart Kendrick-trained 3-year-old Shalaa (IRE) gelding Pinkus broke his maiden in commanding fashion at Doomben.
