Two key factors paved the way for Kingston Charm’s win in Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway at Rosehill Gardens. Firstly astute trainer John Thompson had formed the opinion some time ago that Kingston Charm was most effective when ridden quietly. The trainer’s theory was vindicated at Hawkesbury on October 17th when the five year old mare hurtled home from last on the turn to win a BM68 Midway over 1500m. The win increased her benchmark rating just enough to see her “squeak” into the Four Pillars field.
Adding to the backstory of Saturday’s win is the fact that Zac Lloyd picked up the Hawkesbury ride when Chad Schofield became indisposed, and was retained for the Four Pillars. John Thompson had “nailed” the correct riding tactics, and now it was up to Zac Lloyd to determine the best way to navigate the mare in a twenty horse field from the inside gate. With maturity beyond his 21 years, the young jockey suggested the draw shouldn’t be wasted and expressed his keenness to hug the rail throughout. It was obvious by this stage of the day that some jockeys were of the opinion the fence was “off”, but Zac wasn’t one of them. He’d been around in three earlier races winning one of them on State of America. “He felt the fence was quite OK and convinced us he should stay there as long as possible,” said John Thompson. “We certainly didn’t expect her to come from so far back and win without going around a single horse. Zac was spot on.”
The talented young rider simply let Kingston Charm begin under her own steam, and was unperturbed when she settled down in front of only four or five horses. He had the mare in a beautiful rhythm at the 600m where Trieze was carting them along at a generous pace from Danish Prince, Miss Checkoni, Life Coach, Khumbila and Alabama State. Neither Lloyd nor connections expected the race to unfold the way it did from the top of the straight. As swoopers like Piraeus and Rolling Magic loomed large in the middle of the track, Kingston Charm enjoyed a totally unimpeded passage close to the fence. Although shifting ground in the closing stages, she had more than half a length to spare in her now familiar “Kant See Back” winkers. The mare had previously raced too keenly in conventional blinkers, and a switch to her current headwear was another good call by John Thompson.
Kingston Charm's jockey Zac Lloyd believed the rails going was satisfactory. His keen judgement was the catalyst for the mare's win - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Kingston Charm is responsible for yet another rags to riches story from the burgeoning Inglis Digital Online Sale. Part owner James Tait takes up the story. “She was a weanling when I spotted her on a digital catalogue in 2020,” said James. “I liked her sire Exosphere who’d won a Run To The Rose and a Golden Rose and was on his way as a stallion. Her dam Charming Cali is an unraced mare by Street Cry while her granddam Coupe had won a Gr 2 Edward Manifold Stakes. Her fourth dam is none other than Spirit of Kingston whose six wins included a VRC Oaks, a Canterbury Guineas and Rosehill Guineas. More importantly Spirit Of Kingston’s half sister Rose Of Kingston won the Victoria and AJC Oaks before beating the colts in the AJC Derby. She later became the dam of Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule. Now you know how Kingston Charm got her name.”
James was the successful online bidder for the weanling filly at $19,000, a figure that sits neatly alongside her current earnings of $463,000. His new acquisition was immediately turned out on the lush pastures of the Tait family property “Gunnong Jugrawah” near Gundagai. Those very pastures had been home over the years to elite performers like Baguette, Cabochon,Tie the Knot and Spinning Hill. As the young filly began her journey to maturity, James was joined in the ownership by his cousin Jim Nivison, Cootamundra publican Brad Shields and long time friend and racing enthusiast Dominic Neate. The only member of the quartet absent from Rosehill Gardens on Saturday was Brad Shields who watched the race from the Central Hotel at Cootamundra with obvious delight. James says a subsequent social media video illustrates just how much delight.
Kingston Charm's sire Exosphere wins the 2015 Golden Rose with James McDonald on board - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
No set of racing colours stood out better at a gloomy Rosehill on Saturday than the Tait family’s century old red, white cap combination. As a former race caller I’m probably more conscious of racing colours than most. There was a time when racing’s governing bodies around Australia insisted on strict rules regarding patterns and symbols. Sashes, hoops, stripes, checks, stars, spots, quarters and halves were the accepted designs. Logos and commercial symbols were not on the radar. Even jockey’s caps had to be one specific colour.
It’s a very different story in the modern commercial world where all sorts of dispensations are made to entice new owners into the sport. Today it’s not uncommon to see capital letters on the fronts and backs of jackets, lightning bolts or dragons heads. I spotted silks on Saturday featuring interlocking triangles on the front and back of the jacket. Another set of colours you’ll spot from time to time features a large strawberry front and back. Jockey’s caps today are sometimes dominated by other features including large “pom poms”. Some of the committee room traditionalists of days gone by would have choked on their prawn cocktails to see such rampant commercialism.
How racing colours have changed. Matt McGuren sports the strawberry logo on the Tony Newing trained King Lear - courtesy Trackside Photography.
James Tait recalls that the plain, simple and strikingly identifiable family colours have a history dating back more than a century. “I’m certain my great grandfather Peter Tait first registered those colours in the early 1920’s. I believe his horse Valiard sported the red with a white cap when he won the 1925 Newmarket. They’ve subsequently been carried by all family horses, slow and fast. Race callers love them and so do the punters. Saturday’s Four Pillars was run in very hazy conditions but you could see Kingston Charm clearly all the way. I know they looked beautiful when she hit the line in front.”
James knows a little bit about racing colours. Aside from his full time role as manager of “Gunnong Jugrawah” he has emerged in recent years as a very polished race caller in the southern districts. James is resident caller at tracks like Albury, Gundagai, Cootamundra and Tumut. He did the honours at Wagga on Everest day, and was behind the microphone at Canberra on Melbourne Cup day. He’s been tutored in all aspects of rural life and the racing industry by his father Sandy Tait, pastoralist, owner, breeder and all round good fellow. “Mum and Dad were at Flemington on Saturday but watched Kingston Charm’s race on closed circuit television,” said James. “They were still very excited when I spoke to them after the race.”
James was too busy to look at the camera as he studied colours at a Gundagai meeting.
John Thompson was at the stables early on Sunday morning, and noted with delight that Kingston Charm’s feed bin was completely empty and shiny at the bottom. “I’ll just have to monitor closely this week before we make a decision about her immediate future,” said the trainer. “I’m mindful of the fact that she’s had seven runs this time in but she’s jumping out of her skin. It’s hard to stop when their mindset is so good. We’ll make the call at the end of the week.”
Kingston Charm continued John Thompson’s recent hot winning streak. Of his numerous successes in the first three months of the season, none have given him more pleasure than Bel Merci’s effortless win in the Gimcrack Stakes on October 5th. Not usually given to animated post race euphoria, John was visibly delighted after the filly’s runaway win. “She’s due back in a couple of weeks and I’m looking forward to giving her a light preparation over the holiday season,” he said. “Obviously we’re looking ahead to the Golden Slipper in the autumn. Let’s hope she makes the improvement necessary to reach that level. Fingers crossed.”
Kingston Charm (Reece Jones) stormed home to beat Elettrica and Dr Evil in a 1600m Midway at Randwick in March - courtesy Bradley Photographers.