Wednesday, 7 September 2011: If Gold Coast-trained Chart can win the $50,000 Ballina Cup on September 8 his trainer Toby Edmonds will owe his son Trent a debt of gratitude.
 | Chart
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
|
It was on Trent's recommendation that Edmonds forked out $30,000 to purchase the former Darley-owned five-year-old at a Magic Millions tried horse sale on the Gold Coast in June.
Trent was the former strapper of the Viscount gelding when working with his former trainer Peter Snowden.
“It was on Trent's recommendation we brought Chart,” Edmonds said.
“He's a lovely big horse, a typical Viscount out of a lovely family on the dam's side.
He's lovely to work and with a good demeanour, just a well oiled ex-Darley horse.”
Trent Edmonds and Sydney's Vassallo family now own Chart.
Chart 
, with three wins and eight placings from 17 starts, was targeted for sale after finishing seventh to Mikiyama over 1550m on the Kensington track at Randwick on May 11.
After trialling at the Gold Coast on July 19, Edmonds produced him first-up on his home track for as sixth over 1200m on August 4.
Stepping up to a more suitable 1400m on the same track nine days later, the powerful gelding chased hard in the home straight to run down Incitement and score by a short half-head.
Chart repeated the dose next time out winning over 1400m on a very heavy track at the Gold Coast on August 27 when he pulled away on the line to score by three-quarters of a length.
“I've just kept him ticking over,” Edmonds said.
“He's very fit. He did a good piece of work Saturday and again Tuesday.
"He's more than ready, in good order. He's done everything asked of him.”
Edmonds has retained former Melbourne apprentice Patrick Keane for Chart.
“Patrick rides some work for me and he's won twice on Chart and knows the horse which helps,” Edmonds said. “His two kilo claim isn't bad either.”
Chart is one of six Queenslanders engaged in the Ballina Cup.
