Bargain Book 3 Buy Takes Brisbane Handicap

Bought for just $18,000 at Karaka 2018, Charmmebaby (NZ) (Charm Spirit) took her career earnings to the brink of A$400,000 with a valuable victory in Friday’s A$130,000 Listed Brisbane Handicap (1640m) at Doomben. 

Bought by Brian Black and Robt Dawe from Prima Park’s draft in Book 3 of Karaka 2018, Charmmebaby has now had 27 starts for eight wins, six placings and A$396,965 – more than 23 times her purchase price.

Friday’s Brisbane Handicap was the five-year-old’s first win at stakes level, and it came in her first start after being transferred from the stable of Bob Milligan to Lawrie Mayfield-Smith in Queensland.

Still racing in the colours of the Milligan family and ridden on Friday by Taylor Marshall, Charmmebaby settled at the rear of the field before producing a brilliant finish to score a narrow but authoritative victory over Niccanova (Nicconi) and Kubrick (Shooting To Win).

Charmmebaby’s eight career wins have come over distances ranging from 1000 to 2000 metres, and she also finished third in the A$500,000 County Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick in April.

The 12th individual stakes winner for former Windsor Park shuttle stallion Charm Spirit, Charmmebaby is a half-sister to Vikja King (NZ) (Viking Ruler), who placed in the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2500m).