Connections of multiple Group 1 winner and barrier rogue Chautauqua will be given one last chance to convince Racing New South Wales Stewards that the Grey Flash should not be banned from the race track.
Chautauqua, above, is banned from racing pending submissions by his owners to Racing NSW Stewards. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Team Hawkes trained Chautauqua again failed to leave the barriers with the rest of field in a specially convened race day barrier trial at Rosehill last Saturday, making it seven times that the star sprinter has stood in the starting gates.
After dawdling out of the barriers a good six to ten lengths behind the field and taking several strides for Tommy Berry to get him into rhythm, Chautauqua did catch up to the rest of the field and stretched out nicely in the straight to finish second to the Chris Waller trained Zousain at the end of the 1000m trial.
Prior to last Saturday’s eight horse trial, Racing NSW Stewards had ruled that Chautauqua had to jump successfully from two official barrier trials before being reinstated to run in a race but stated that if he didn’t leave the barriers with the rest of the field on Saturday, his nomination for an official barrier trial and race would not be accepted.
Stewards had no option but to apply their latest ruling and ban the grey from racing, but will hear further submissions from connections on Tuesday, August 28.
Racing New South released the following statement in relation to their ruling on Chautauqua.
“Following Chautauqua failing to jump from the barriers to the satisfaction of Racing NSW Stewards in a barrier trial at the Rosehill Gardens race meeting on Saturday, 25 August 2018, Racing NSW Stewards have advised the connections of Chautauqua that their preliminary decision is that, acting under the provisions of AR50, the nominations of the gelding should be refused for all barrier trials and race meetings.
“In order to provide the connections with due process, the Stewards have invited the connections to make any appropriate submissions as to why the Stewards’ preliminary decision should not be confirmed.
“Managing owner of Chautauqua, Mr Rupert Legh, has informed Stewards that the majority of shareholders in Chautauqua intend to make submissions in response to the Stewards’ preliminary decision.
“As such, Racing NSW Stewards shall hear those submissions at Racing NSW’s office (Level 11, 51 Druitt Street, Sydney) commencing at 1pm on Tuesday, 28 August 2018.”
Chautauqua is the winner of thirteen of his thirty-two race starts, which includes six at Group 1 level and has earned in excess of $8.8 million in prizemoney.
Chautauqua always had his backer’s hearts in their mouths with his come from behind flying finish which typically saw him come from last to gain victory in the last few strides.
The eight year’s flying finish saw him win three consecutive Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and he also beat a classy field of international sprinters in Hong Kong with his trademark last to first finish in the 2016 Group 1 HK$10,000,000 The Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin.
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