Connections of Chautauqua are running out of options to get the grey flash back to the race track after he failed to jump from the barriers with the rest of field in a barrier trial at Rosehill today.
Chautauqua, above, failed to jump with the rest of the field again in a Rosehill barrier trial. Photo by Steve Hart.
Chautauqua was sent back to get his barrier certificate after failing to jump from the barriers on five occasions previously and was ordered by Racing New South Wales Stewards to pass two barrier tests before being allowed back to the races.
Today’s failure to jump with the rest of the field in the 900m trail has put the multiple Group 1 winner’s future racing career in jeopardy.
Tommy Berry was in the saddle again today and the Team Hawkes trained Chautauqua stood flat footed when the gates opened as he did in his last attempt in a Rosehill barrier trial on July 23.
Racing NSW Stewards will no doubt meet again with the Hawkes Team’s head trained John Hawkes to determine what will happen with Chautauqua from this point on.
Part owner Rupert Legh told Sky Racing’s Racing HQ that he was keen to push ahead to try to get Chautauqua back to the race track and had every faith in the Hawkes Team of John, Michael and Wayne to work with the multiple Group 1 winning sprinter.
“Most certainly (keep trying). He (John Hawkes) is not one to give up nor am I and as I said on many occasions Gave Up never won anything,” Legh told Sky Racing’s Racing HQ.
“At the end of the day we will do what we think is the right thing by Chautauqua. He gives up every indication that he wants to be a race horse. He has done that in the last two weeks since his last mishap at Rosehill otherwise we wouldn’t have jumped him out today.”
“We didn’t think for one moment that he wouldn’t jump, we would not have done it ”
“Let‘s all sit back and take a deep breath and let John Hawkes and his boys have the respect they deserve to make the right call for the well being of this horse.”
Chautauqua is the winner of thirteen of his thirty-two starts, six at Group 1 level which includes three consecutive wins in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The Gary Moore trained Auchentoman won Chautauqua’s trial while the favourite forthe $13m The Everest, Trapeze Artist, was unextended to finish in fifth place, three quarters of a length behind the winner.
