Purchased by Peter Collier for $240,000 from the Teeley Assets Dispersal in 2014, the stakes-placed Northern Meteor mare Mount Zero is proving to be a gilt-edged investment.
It did not begin all that well with the Manhattan Rain filly she was carrying dying after birth and her first live foal Mount Sebring failing to flatter at his only starts to date.
But at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Mount Zero had a Redoute’s Choice filly knocked down to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock on behalf Jonathon Munz, for $480,000. Then at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year Arrowfield Stud consigned her Not A Single Doubt filly that was knocked down to Stonestreet Stables for $650,000.
The Redoute’s Choice filly named Charm School won on debut at Sandown Lakeside on Monday in a manner that suggests she has a very bright future indeed.
Ridden by Mark Zahra, the Anthony Freedman-trained filly looked to have plenty to do in the last 100 metres to run down Malicorne and Masseuse but she knuckled down impressively to defeat the Akeed Mofeed (GB) filly Malicorne by three-quarter of a length with the stakes-placed Rubick filly Masseuse a short-head back in third.
“She’s a filly with a really bright future, she’s still very green and has a lot to learn but she’s got a motor, stable representative Sam Freedman said.
“She’s got a big frame, has a lot to learn, but we have high hopes for her in the spring. So, whether she has one or two more we’ll see how she comes through this.
“She is bred to get over a lot more distance. It’s really good for Jonathon Munz who supports the stable and has been supporting the industry at the sales through a really tough time so it’s nice to get a filly like her in the winners stall.”
Her dam Mount Zero is a daughter of the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview winner Beauty School (Royal Academy) whose pedigree page has had a considerable upgrade recently.
Beauty School is a half-sister to Creola who is the granddam of the Group III winner Tallow (Street Cry) whose son Farnhan romped home in the Golden Slipper.
There is plenty to look forward to from Mount Zero who has a weanling colt, which is one of just 26 live foals from the final crop of Redoute’s Choice, and she was covered by Redoute’s Choice’s 5-time Group 1 winning son The Autumn Sun last spring.