Jockey Dwayne Dunn is happy to forgive sprint star Chautauqua for his flat spring and believes the champion is back to his best ahead of a first-up autumn run in the 2017 Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Dual TJ Smith Stakes winner Chautauqua returns to racing at Caulfield on Saturday in the Rubition Stakes 2017. Photo: Steve Hart.
There are peak expectations from the punters every time six-year-old Chautauqua hits the track.
The son on of Encosta De Lago has after all amassed over $6.5 million in prize money over his 24 starts to date.
The gelding is a five-time Group 1 winner including his sole international assignment when beating home the locals in Hong Kong’s Chairman’s Sprint (1200m) last May.
That followed on from his second straight Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) triumph at Royal Randwick in April.
He is set to target that lucrative sprint again during Sydney’s The Championships this autumn.
Chautauqua is the early $5 fancy in pre-field TJ Smith Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
He also dominates betting for his first-up run on Saturday in the $200,000 Group 2 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes (1100m) on CF Orr Stakes Day.
This is despite the fact the ‘Grey Flash’ failed in both of his spring runs last time in.
Back from his bid overseas, the travel looked to have taken its toll as Chautauqua finished a first-up fourth.
He was beaten by Blue Diamond Stakes winning three-year-old Extreme Choice first-up when unsuccessfully defending his Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) title at Moonee Valley.
Chautauqua then went out favourite again second-up at the same track in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).
He was fond out again however when two lengths away seventh behind the upset winner Rebel Dane.
Team Hawkes put him out straight after the Manikato ahead of his autumn return, and he has trialled once since.
Dunn was in the saddle at Rosehill on January 31 for the horse’s third in a 900m hit-out behind Star Turn, the hoop full of confidence the Chautauqua the fans fell in love with was back.
“I think he is back to his old self, he has got those few little signs he has got to show you and he has definitely showed me that,” Dunn told Racing Victoria.
“His trial was fantastic, he went through the wire really nicely.
“This Saturday we will see where he is at in life form what we have seen at home, if that transpires to what we see on the racetrack; that should see him back to his best.”
Chautauqua won the 2015 Rubiton Stakes first-up before running second to Brazen Beau in that year’s $1 million Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).
Last autumn he resumed in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington running a devastatingly close second to Terravista before a third in the Newmarket Handicap under a length off the winner The Quarterback.
The 2017 Newmarket Handicap is scheduled for March 11 on ‘Super Saturday’ and Chautauqua pays $10 to win in futures markets led by Mick Price’s gun youngsters Flying Artie ($7) and Extreme Choice ($8).
As for the Rubiton Stakes on Saturday, Chautauqua and Dunn carrying the 59.5kg top weight in a small eight-horse field drawn in gate five.
Chautauqua is the dominant $2.50 favourite in the markets followed by Darren Weir’s four-year-old improver Hellbent ($4.80).
“The small field helps, there is enough speed to open them up, he can relax, midway or three-quarters back and then hopefully we see that lightning finish that we know he has got,” Dunn said of the Rubiton Stakes.
“I think I’m like everyone else, we all want to see him back, he has been the world’s best sprinter and we want to see him back in the form that he was.
“I’ve got no doubt he can do it, hopefully on Saturday he stamps his authority.”
Back Chautauqua at the best autumn racing odds online now at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
