Randwick based Kiwi trainer John Sargent will prepare New Zealand four year old Cauthen for the 2015 Autumn Carnival.
New Zealand four year old Cauthen will be prepared by trainer John Sargent for the Autumn Carnival. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Cauthen arrived in Australia during the Spring of 2013 under the care of trainer Andrew Campbell with a huge reputation after winning a Te Rapa 1200m maiden by eight and half lengths but went under as an odds on favourite when second in restricted grade at Moonee Valley over 1000m.
The Darci Brahma colt then came out and won the Listed $120,000 Essendon Nissan McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley beating subsequent Cox Plate winner Shamus Award.
But Cauthen has failed to win at his next four runs spaced over twelve months which included two unplaced efforts under the care of Cambridge trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young during the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival in the Group 2 $200,000 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 6 and in a 1400m Open Handicap at Caulfield on September 20.
Sargent is yet to finalise an Autumn Carnival program but is hoping a successful throat operation will be the turning point for the four year old.
“That’s because he needed a wind-op. We got told he only had 30 percent open and that’s not going to allow a horse to run at his full capacity,” Sargent told Racenet.
“Jonathon Lumsden, who did the same operation on So You Think, operated on Cauthen and the horse looks magnificent.”
“He’s here for the autumn but we’re not sure exactly what races we’ll be targeting just yet.”
“He might be best suited over shorter trips but I’ll see how he comes along over the next couple of months.”
Sargent has followed Cauthen throughout his career and realises how much potential he has and is confident that he will perform well now that his breathing problem has been rectified.
“I’ve seen the horse a few times throughout his career and he’s definitely never looked better. There’s plenty of talent there and he’s had a very genuine excuse for not going on with it.
“That looks to be fixed now.”
