FORMER top apprentice David Charles will run the Melbourne operation for Darley when John O'Shea assumes control in May. Darley Australia Managing Director Henry Plumptre today announced that Charles, who has worked at Darley's Agnes Banks complex for the past four years, would head up the Melbourne arm of the operation.
Plumptre said it had been decided to mirror the way the business was run during Peter Snowden's tenure as No 1 trainer.
He said Charles, with an extensive knowledge of how Melbourne racing ticked plus his experience in a raft of areas made him the right person for the position.
Plumptre said he'd spoken extensively with O'Shea about the position and he was more than comfortable with the appointment.
"It is important that John has someone in Melbourne who can work with him - that was a key element," he said. "We like the model where we have one head trainer who runs three sites with three assistants. We didn't see any need to change that model. Paul (Snowden) has worked very well in Melbourne under Peter. And, we wanted to promote someone from within the team rather than get someone from outside.
"We have got some good young talent that have the right experience. David has been based in Melbourne most of his life. He has spent the past four years in Sydney, but he knows the Melbourne system and he's worked with some good people - Johnny Meagher, Lloyd Williams and Tony Vasil. He worked with Racing Victoria and worked in Hong Kong running the apprentice school." (racingnetwork)