Trio’s Charm impressive

Press, 12 June 1989, Page 32

Trio’s Charm impressive

JEFF SCOTT

By

Trio’s Charm, an impressive 4 l /z length winner of the C2 pace at Rangiora on Saturday, settled in for the first time at Steve Little’s newly-acquired Templeton stables later that afternoon.

Little was completing a shift from his former Motukarara property to Mankind Lodge, the stables used successfully for many years by Wes Butt and occupied in recent years by Merv Williamson.

The Wellington professional horseman, Craig Edmonds, is to take possession of Little’s Wara Park complex at Motukarara.

Edmonds’ brother, Murray, also a professional trainer and reinsman, is situated nearby. “I have got a tradition to uphold,” said Little, reflecting on the large amount of winners prepared at Mankind Lodge by Butt over the years. Despite winning three starts ago. Trio’s Charm was not fancied by punters on Saturday, starting the twelfth win favourite in a field of 15. Taken to the front soon after the start, the El Patron gelding kept going strongly to win on his own. His time for the 2000 m (stand) of 2:43.7 was 2.1 seconds faster than Replacement re-

corded in the C 3 pace. “Trio’s Charm is only just starting to reach his potential,” said Little. “He has gone some phenomenal races at times but today was the first time he has stepped away good.

“He will go up to Nelson (next Saturday) now

and try and do what his mother did in a summer Cup there a few years ago,” added Little. Vienna Charm, the dam of Trio’s Charm, won seven races from Little’s team including the 1982 Nelson Cup. The Regal Yankee mare took a placed mile mark of

1:59.4, while her brother, Cousteau, won five races in New Zealand and went 1:59.2 in North America.

They belong to the Rochana branch of the Lady Disdain family, bred to good effect by the Chapman family of Springston.

Vienna Charm’s third dam Kohua, left Roschana (eight wins), the dam of 1968 Auckland Cup winner Cardinal Garrison, and Yankee Spirit, the dam of a Cup-class pacer, Freightman. The 1959 Great Northern Derby winner, Stormont, is also a descendant of this family. Chip Adios, which tangled early but soon settled, ran on strongly from the fourth and fifth lines for second, two lengths in front of Mascara, another Nelsonbound runner, which ran on purposefully after settling back. The favourite, Grobbelaar, did not find the conditions to his liking, stopping badly after enjoying a good run, while the second favourite. Harmonise, did well to finish sixth after tangling early and being near last to the 600 m.

Trio’s Charm, at the odds of 22-to-one, combined with another outsider, Side Track (43 to one), and Sandy Del (five to one) for a $28,847 payout in the Rangiora T.A.B. treble.