Rumstar flashes home for repeat Charge success Rumstar finished with a flourish to claim back-to-back wins in the Coral Charge at Sandown. Jonathan Portman’s sprinter has failed to get his head in front since landing this Group Three prize 12 months ago, but has contested top-level events like the Nunthorpe, the Prix de l’Abbaye and most recently King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot during the intervening period. Dropping back down in grade, the six-year-old was a 100-30 chance in the hands of Rob Hornby and with multiple Group One-winning Australian sprinter Asfoora never threatening to get involved, Rumstar did what he had to do, finishing strongly to get up and beat Luna A Inbhir Nis by a length. Portman said: “This gives me a lot of satisfaction as it’s so competitive this game and there’s a thin line between winning and losing. When you’re losing no one is interested but when you win it oils the wheels and it’s important – winning is everything. “He was great on his return at Newmarket (second in Palace House Stakes) and everyone was telling me he had a great chance at Royal Ascot, but he only beat home one horse so we were a bit deflated. We were drawn low and that might not have been the place to be. “I think with these sprinters you’ve just got to wait for your turn and keep rolling the dice. “This race was always on our minds having won it last year and he’s good in Group Three company.” Rumstar is now likely to have his sights raised once more, with the King George Stakes at Goodwood and another tilt at the Nunthorpe on his agenda. “We get excited and spend all this money entering in Group Ones and seem to always get left with egg on our face, but he’s put a bit of money back in the kitty here,” Portman added. “We’ll go to Goodwood now and then York. He’s entered in everything and we’re enjoying the ride.”
