Charlie is consistently one of the top buyers at public auctions. Last year he was the leading buyer of bloodstock at public auctions in Europe. To date he has bought nine classic winners and 30 Group 1 winners of 42 Group 1 races.

Charlie has an exceptional mare purchase record, having bought the dams of world-class horses such as Dar Re Mi, Rewilding, Seville, Alexandrova and Magical Romance. He has also made many shrewd horses-in training buys, which include the winner of the Group 1 Hong Kong Derby (Brave Music) and Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (Cape of Good Hope).

Among numerous career highlights for Charlie must be Kris Kin’s victory in British racing’s ‘blue-riband’ the Epsom Derby. Another flagship triumph for him was King’s Best’s win in the 2000 renewal of the 2000 Guineas and only last year Charlie celebrated a significant landmark when Steinbeck provided him with his 250th Group/Listed winner.

Charlie formed Charles Gordon-Watson Bloodstock in 1985. Prior to that he had stints working for leading owner Robert Sangster, as well as gaining experience working for a thoroughbred PR company and the thoroughbred publication Pacemaker. Having grown up on a stud farm, horses were always a passion for Charlie and he had the first of many race rides at the age of 14.