Derby Charmers Have the Spirit

Media Release - Friday February 28

Boom young sire Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit) will be represented by three first-crop runners in the Group I New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie this Saturday.

Scorpz is one of three NZ Derby runners for Charm Spirit

The son of Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) has leading contender and current third favourite Scorpz in the Blue Riband event together with talented winning sons Peloton and Platinum Spirit, whose race performances to date suggest both will appreciate the journey over 2400m.

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Leading Second Season Sire Charm Spirit, together with Exceed And Excel (Danehill), currently co-heads the sires category in Australia and New Zealand this season for individual 3YO Group winners with a tally four Group winners to date.

Scorpz has earned his place at the forefront of the Derby market by way of gritty back to back stakes race wins in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes and Listed 3YO Salver at Ellerslie.

Charm Spirit daughters Aretha and Lilikoi have both featured prominently in 3YO fillies races this season enjoying success in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings and Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni respectively.

A Group Two winning 2YO, Aretha resumes racing on Saturday in the Gr.3 Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes at Ellerslie over 1300m.
 
In Australia Charm Spirit’s progressive Melbourne based daughter Fascino confirmed her Moonee Valley success in the Gr.2 Fillies Stakes last Spring when resuming with a closeup run for fourth in the Gr.3 Vanity Stakes at Flemington recently.
 
Along with Fascino, Charm Spirit added another Australian Group performer to his resume when Sansom finished a close second at Caulfield in the Gr.3 Zedative Stakes last weekend.

Motley Crew, yet another first crop son of triple Group One winner Charm Spirit, demonstrated the resolute qualities of his sire this past week with back to back wins in the space of three days.

A triple Group One winning European miler, Charm Spirit shuttles to Windsor Park Stud, Cambridge for his sixth consecutive breeding season this Spring.
 
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