Class was the dominant factor at Tauherenikau today when Charmont’s frustrating search for a black-type victory came to a successful conclusion.

Charmont (Michael Coleman) living up to expectations as a $2.80 favourite in today’s Wairarapa Breeeders Stakes.

The form book strongly suggested that trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman had found the ideal opportunity for the mare in the Listed Te Power Rapa Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes and so it proved.

Charmont, the best-performed runner in the feature metric mile, was able to sit three-wide throughout and she still proved in a league of her own.

“It wasn’t pretty, but she was always travelling nicely,” said jockey Michael Coleman, who has ridden the High Chaparral mare in four of her last five starts.

Charmont has now won three races, but her quality is emphasised by her third in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks and she has also been placed multiple times at Group Two and Three level.

“She’s been racing in good fields all the way through and been the bridesmaid a number of times so it’s nice to get one,” said Coleman.

Although she was forced to cover extra ground from an awkward gate, Charmont took the wide passage in her stride and she cruised to the front soon after straightening.

“She put them to bed pretty quickly and held a strong gallop to the line,” said Coleman after Charmont got home first by three and a quarter lengths from She Knows.

Charmont is raced by her Cambridge breeder Bob Emery, whose colours were also carried by the five-year-old’s grandmother Champagne. A Zabeel mare, Champagne was a two-time Group One winner and finished runner-up in the 1998 Melbourne Cup.

Champagne’s daughter Nadege also won the Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes for Emery in 2010 when trained by Scott Lucock and ridden by Mark Du Plessis.