MG1SW sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) refused to leave the barriers once the gates flew for the sixth time on Tuesday morning, reported Racenet.com.au. The steel grey eventually chased after the field in the sixth heat of the Rosehill barrier trials, but finished last of 10 in the 900-metre event won by Auchentoman (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) in :54.71. Trained by Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes, the gelding last raced in the G1 Darley Classic Victoria Racing Club S. at Flemington on Nov. 11 and ran fourth to reigning The Everest champion Redzel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}).
“We've worked him as much as we possibly can, we've done a lot with him to try to get him in the right frame of mind,” said co-trainer Michael Hawkes to Sky Racing. “I think now it will be determined on what we do and where we go, obviously we'll have to talk to the owners. It's one of those things that is not really good for Australian racing. We need this horse.”
Added the 8-year-old's co-owner Rupert Legh, “I feel more disappointed for John [Hawkes] because I know how much effort and work has gone into the horse and it would have been great to see the horse jump and give him some credit for the amount of work he has put into him. If you saw the horse in work, and saw his condition, you don't see a more happier or healthier horse in your lifetime, so you know we're all scratching our heads. At the end of the day we'll do what we think is the right thing by Chautauqua and he gives us every indication he wants to be a racehorse, he's done that in the last two weeks since his last mishap at Rosehill, otherwise we wouldn't have jumped him out today.”
In the same trial, current A$13-million The Everest favourite Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who will represent Aquis Farm, ran fifth. The MG1SW won the G1 TJ Smith S. at Randwick on Apr. 7 and followed up there in the G1 All Aged S. when last seen on Apr. 21 for trainer Gerald Ryan.
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