Press Charges (NZ) Stays Perfect in Southland Guineas

Just over a month after a stylish debut victory, Press Charges (NZ) (Press Statement) stepped up to stakes class and maintained his unbeaten record in Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1600m).

The Ascot Park three-year-old feature lifted the gelding’s career earnings to $65,900 from two starts. He was a $77,500 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2021, then returned for the Ready to Run Sale later that year and fetched $135,000.

Press Charges began his career in the Cambridge stable of his part-owner Ben Foote, for whom he was a trial winner. But he was later transferred into the Riccarton stable of Terri Rae, who has guided him through a flawless first two starts. He produced a smart late sprint to score over 1200 metres at Wingatui on January 14, and he struck gold again in Saturday’s Guineas.

But it wasn’t without a few nervous moments along the way. Press Charges was pushed out three wide with 800 metres to run, and the saddle shifted under top rider Lisa Allpress. It meant Press Charges had to launch his run a long way from home, and he sustained it impressively to take control at the top of the home straight.

The favourite Specialty (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) came at him with a determined challenge, but Press Charges turned him back and edged ahead to score by three-quarters of a length.

“He was good enough to win two trials here in the north and we thought he was a perfect type to trade,” Foote explained to NZ Racing Desk.

“As it turned out, there wasn’t much interest in him, so I thought the best plan was to see if we could win a nice race down in the South Island and see if that sparked something.

“Terri had told me his work since he won his maiden had been very good, and we did have plenty of confidence he could go a good race – although Specialty looked pretty tough to beat.

“I was watching the race on television and wondered what Lisa was doing when she went forward, but when I saw the finish the number cloth was over his bum, so the saddle must have shifted on her.

“It certainly wasn’t the tactics I thought were going to be used, but as it turned out, he was really brave and even kicked away at the end.

“He is definitely on the market, so it would be nice to get him away if we can. We bought a number of yearlings at the sales recently, so getting some money in rather than out would be nice.”