Chautauqua The Talk of the Town

Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) proved himself possibly the leading of a highly contentious sprint division during the Australian autumn with a win in the G1 T J Smith S. in April, and the 5-year-old gelding rides an unbeaten streak of two this season into Friday’s G1 Manikato S. at Moonee Valley. Following his resounding T J Smith score, Chautauqua rounded out his campaign with a solid fourth when stepped up to 1400 meters for the G1 All Aged S. 12 days later. He returned with a smart score in the G2 McEwen S. over this track Sept. 5, and followed up in the G2 Gilgai S. Oct. 4. He exits barrier two here, one outside of his old rival Terravista (Aus) (Captain Rio {GB}), who appeared to go off track late last season but won the G2 Premiere S. over Rebel Dane (Aus) (California Dane {Aus}) first-up Oct. 3. Terravista has a win over Chautauqua to his credit in last year’s G1 Darley Classic.

Veteran gelding Buffering (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) earned his fifth Group 1 win in the G2 Moir S. over this strip Oct. 2, and is expected to employ his usual ‘catch me if you can’ tactics over one of his favorite tracks. Females have a strong record in this event, having won the Manikato seven times since 2000. Five-year-old mare Srikandi (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) would boast strong claims in most spots, and she enters this first-up after winning a pair of Group 1s in June–the Stradbroke H. and Tattersalls Tiara. Srikandi lost her only try at Moonee Valley–a benchmark race early last year–but trainer Ciaron Maher is not discourged, citing the similarities between Moonee Valley and Doomben, where she has a strong record.

“The Valley is not that different to Doomben,” Maher told Racing and Sports. “They’re both that sort of tightish track. I think she appreciates a bend and she can put herself pretty handy in her races.”

Maher added, “She’s had a nice smooth campaign but it’s going to be the toughest race she’s contested in her career.”