Aretha displayed all the
fighting qualities of her triple Group I winning sire Charm Spirit (Invincible
Spirit) when producing a 'never say die' performance to win Saturday's Group II Matamata Breeders' Stakes.

Having just her second
raceday start, both of them in Group company, Aretha improved off her debut run
for third in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes last December to take out the
highly prized race for 2YO fillies.
Aretha is raced by her breeder Greg McCarthy and became Charm Spirit's first
southern hemisphere Group winner and first for her dam Tsikory (Stravinsky).
Shuttle stallion Charm
Spirit, who has sired 34 individual first crop winners in Europe, was one of
the very best milers of an exceptional generation that included superstar
Kingman (Invincible Spirit), Australia (Galileo) and No Nay Never (Scat Daddy).
Gr.1 performed at 2, Charm Spirit signed off his race career at 3 with success
in three Gr.1 1600m races to cement his position among Europe's leading milers.
Well supported at stud, Charm Spirit has been equally well received in the
sales' rings throughout Australasia with his yearlings selling to $400,000 at
Karaka and averaging $237,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions sale where he was Leading
Second Crop sire,
Charm
Spirit stands alongside Leading Freshman Sire ShamExpress (O'Reilly), whose
sired his first Australian Group winner on the weekend with impressive
Melbourne filly Embrace Me winning the Typhoon Tracey Stakes at Moonee Valley.
ShamExpress has an impressive 13.5% stakes horses to runners ratio which
includes this seasons first crop 3YO stakes winners Cyber Attack and London
Express.
News from Windsor Park Stud