It’ll be a bitter-sweet result for trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith if Charmmebaby can give him his first Group 1 win in the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Mayfield-Smith is resigned to losing Charmmebaby after she has one more start in the Group 3 Pam O’Neill Stakes over 1600 metres at Doomben on July 9.
“Her owners have had a few offers to sell her so she’ll have her final run for me in the Pam O’Neill Stakes next month,” Mayfield-Smith said.
“But, it would be nice if her new owners decided she could stay with me.”
Mayfield-Smith has never trained a Group 1 winner but has placed twice with Sonata, who finished second in the 1996 Queensland Oaks, and third in the J J Atkins – which was formerly the Castlemaine Stakes – with Freedom Road in 1997.
He has trained many good horses over the years, with his best win coming from Post Elect in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick in 1990.
Charmmebaby has had four starts for two wins and two seconds for Mayfield-Smith after she was originally trained in Taree by Bob Milligan.
The five-year-old daughter of Charm Spirit won her last start in the Listed Wayne Wilson at Eagle Farm on June 11 after finishing second in the Listed Spear Chief at Eagle Farm on June 4.
“The good thing with her is that she has won at Eagle Farm and can handle the track,” Mayfield-Smith said.
“She’s done everything right since and she’s improved.
“Her last win was very good considering she was a bit tardy out of the gates and had to be revved up.”
– Racing Queensland
