Chautauqua from the Clouds

The dashing grey Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) bounced back to winning form in some style when he won an historic third G1 Darley TJ Smith S. at Randwick in customary last gasp fashion. The 6-year-old gelding, trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes was last of the 15 runners as the field swung into the straight and seemingly going nowhere. At this stage Fell Swoop (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) and Joao Moreira still held the call as English (Aus) (Encosta De Lago {Aus}) moved menacingly by the weakening favourite Russian Revolution (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}). At the 100-metre mark English held a narrow advantage and appeared to have the race won as Chautauqua began to really motor home though he still had deficit to make up. Despite still being a length down 50m from the line his incredible forward momentum carried him past the unfortunate Waterhouse/Bott trained filly to win by a short neck.

“He's incredible isn't he,” said winning jockey Tommy Berry. “I said to the doubters the whole way along, don't worry about it, the Hawkes Team train him. They are freaks at what they do. I came up underneath them as I couldn't come around them and win. Gee, once he got through he was so good. I've just got to thank the Hawkes Team.”

The training trio were super proud of their winner, whose victory ensured a starting spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November. “This horse defies everything, he is the King and always has been,” said Wayne Hawkes. “Hong Kong was special, last year here was special, this is special. For everyone who loves the horse, what a thrill. He was cool as a cucumber. He's a rock star and owns the 1200 metres at Randwick.”

Racing can be a fickle sport and some had begun to think Chautauqua wasn't the force of old, given the fact he had gone winless in five starts since his victory in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin last May. He did show plenty of dash when running Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun) to a short head in the G1 Canterbury BMW S. at Randwick Mar. 4 before being stretched by the 7 1/2-furlong trip when third to Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 George Ryder S. Mar. 18.His win on Saturday was his sixth Group 1 victory and it boosted his prize money haul to over A$8.3m, more than the figure earned by the mighty Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) and it also puts him in line for another monster payday when he tackles the A$10-million The Everest, over the same course and distance in October.

Of the vanquished, Blake Shinn, rider of English took defeat on the chin and said, “Great run. You can never go the early crow when Chautauqua is in the race. I wasn't going to do that today, but I really felt all over a winner, all bar the post. Then out of nowhere the big grey came and got me. It was a terrific effort from my mare.”

Pedigree Notes…

Chautauqua is one of 10 foals produced by the dual Group 1 winning juvenile Lovely Jubly (Aus). Seven of her progeny have won and while Chautauqua is her standout performer, his half-sister London Lolly (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}) also proved a precocious and classy juvenile like her mother when winning the G3 Breeders' S. in 2014. Though the pedigree isn't replete with top-level performers, Lovely Jubly is herself a half-sister to MGSW Sir Howard (Aus) (Alannon {Aus}), who also finished third in the G1 Prized Captain Cook S.

Saturday, Royal Randwick, Australia
TJ SMITH S.-G1, A$2,614,500 (US$1,994,994/£1,590,397/€1,872,351), ATC, 4-01, Open wfa, 1200mT, 1:12.44, Heavy.
1–CHAUTAUQUA, 58.5, g, 6, by Encosta de Lago
1st Dam: Lovely Jubly (MG1SW-Aus, $815,113),
by Lion Hunter
2nd Dam: Jaboulet (NZ), by Vice Regal (NZ)
3rd Dam: Avadell (NZ), by In the Purple (FR)
(A$300,000 RNA Ylg '12 INGAPR). O-R & C Legh Racing (Mgrs:
R & Mrs C Legh), G P I Racing (Mgr: G Ingham), Gurners
Bloodstock (Mgr: M A Ramsden), G Pulitano, S W Kay, Ms M A
Keating, Wright Racing (Mgrs: P & R Wrigh; B-Woodbury Pty
Ltd NSW; T-M, W & J Hawkes; J-Tommy Berry; A$1,577,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. Sprinter-Aus, G1SW-HK, 28-13-7-4,
A$8,309,243. *1/2 to London Lolly (Aus) (Charge Forward
{Aus}), GSW-Aus, $168,085. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–English, 56.5, m, 4, Encosta de Lago–Court, by Anabaa (USA).
O-Newhaven Park (Mgr: Rj, So, Jw & Rc Kelly, Ga Walker & Ns
Agostini); B-Newhaven Park Stud NSW; T-G Waterhouse & A
Bott; J-B Shinn; A$475,000.
3–Fell Swoop, 58.5, g, 5, Not a Single Doubt–Touched in Flight,
by Fasliyev (USA). (A$45,000 Ylg 2013 WI Classic Yearling Sale;
A$20,000 Ylg 2012 WI Sydney Spring Thoroughbred Sale).
O-Mrs A E Dale, Ms M E Porter Am, M W Curtis, P Armstrong,
M E Richards, G A Singh, M J Condon, S L Dowling, I De
Landelles, Miss S M Barnes, Mrs J Curtis, Mrs J Condon, Ms A
Coxon; B-Mr L Curtis NSW; T-Matthew Dale; J-J Moreira;
A$250,000.
Margins: HD, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 11.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Tivaci, Voodoo Lad, Russian Revolution, Malaguerra, Derryn, Rebel Dane, Spieth (NZ), Japonisme, Target in Sight, Astern, Rock Magic, Terravista.
Click for the Racing Post result, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. NSW Racing Video.