Emirates Park resident Al Samer sired his first stakes winner when Mr Chard prevailed in the Listed Gothic Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Mr Chard (3c Al Samer – Najar by Secret Savings) opened his account at Flemington in May and trainer Dean Lawson has always rated the colt highly.  “We will go to the (G3) Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington in two weeks and then he will probably have a break,” Lawson said.  “I’m sure he’ll be better in the autumn.”

Mr Chard is also part-owned by Lawson and went through the ring twice before arriving at his stables.  The colt was a $2,500 buy as an Inglis weanling before making $18,000 as a Magic Millions yearling.

The winner’s dam Najar is an unraced half-sister to Cool Trent (Nediym) who was also prepared by Lawson to win a Listed juvenile event at Flemington.  She has a younger sister to Mr Chard and Lawson was on the spot to buy her for $9,000 at the Adelaide Magic Millions in March.

Mr Chard is eligible for the $1 million GCTC Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) in January but he is an unlikely runner at the Gold Coast.  “The owners have got Top Drop with Gerald Ryan,” Lawson said.  “They are looking at running him in that race.”

Al Samer is a son of Redoute’s Choice and was a G3 winner of the Canberra Black Opal Stakes.  There have been 10 winners from his first crop and Mr Chard tops the list with over $180,000 in earnings.  He is based at Emirates Park near Digger’s Rest where the cost of a cover is $7,700 (inc gst).