Chautauqua’s Sectional Times Suggest That He Is Far From A Spent Force
But his sectional times recorded in his first up third in Saturday’s Rubiton Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) at Caulfield suggests that the five-time Group One winner is far from a spent force.
He settled back in fifth place, one off the rails, improved rounding the home turn, briefly looking dangerous but was soon under pressure before making good late ground to take third, two lengths behind the surprise $18.00 winner Super Cash (Written Tycoon), whom he conceded 5.5 kilograms.
Connections, including jockey Dwayne Dunn, later commented that they felt Chautauqua was now looking for more distance at this stage of the six-year-old’s career.
11 of his 12 wins have been between 1000 metres and 1200 metres, but he has one win over 1400 metres, so that might well be the case but an examination of the times in the Rubiton Stakes indicate that Chautauqua, while visually somewhat disappointing, actually staged a very good first up effort.
Clocked from the 800 metre point, Chautauqua’s 200 metre breakdown was impressive, being timed to run 10.68, 11.02 (400m in 21.70), 11.10 (600m in 32.80) with his final 200 metres in 10.92 to give him a fast 43.72 for his last 800 metres.
And a time of 43.72 represents an exceptional 200 metre rate of 10.93.
In addition the overall time was a very quick 1:02.57, which was only 0.83 outside of the 1100 metre Caulfield track record which was set by Here De Angels (Dehere) in February 2010.
But while Chautauqua’s performance received a mixed reaction, that certainly was not the case at Randwick on Monday when the champion mare Winx (Street Cry) made a brilliant return to racing in the Apollo Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m).
After a slow beginning she recovered to race in sixth place and once into clear running on straightening she raced away to score her 14th successive win in effortless fashion.
Winx has featured in On The Watch on many occasions, often clocking brilliant sectionals and she yet again produced fast times on Monday.
Clocked from the 1200 metre point, Winx returned 200 metre fractions of 10.97, 11.53 (400m in 22.50), 11.68 (600m in 34.18), 11.48 (800m in 45.66), 10.97 (1000m in 56.63) with her last 200 metres in 11.51 to give her a fast 1:08.14 for her final 1200 metres – and that was on a Good4 track.
The runner up Hartnell (Authorized) has now finished behind Winx in all of the their five encounters but his first up effort suggested that he too looks set for a good campaign (especially if he can avoid Winx) in making ground from eighth at the 1200 metre mark to finish two and three quarter lengths behind his stunning rival, clocking an impressive 1:08.48 for that section.
In the feature race at Caulfield on Saturday, the C F Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) recorded his fourth Group One success with an excellent second up effort in overcoming a wide trip from back in eighth place to defeat the front-running Turn Me Loose (Iffraaj) by a length.
Time for the 1400 metre journey was a very smart 1:22.55 and again Black Heart Bart showed his class on the watch running his last 1200 metres in a fast 1:08.71 and last 1000 metres in 57.05.
While Turn Me Loose really showed a return to form with impressive mid-race sectionals, his 200 metre breakdown from the 1200 metres being: 11.34, 11.54 (400m in 22.88), 11.60 (600m in 34.48), 11.54 (800m in 46.02), 11.31 for a fast 1000 metre time of 57.33 (from the 1200m to the 200m) before holding on well for second.
Another to really take the eye was the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Jameka (Myboycharlie) who came with a wide run from last in the 12-horse field to finish (1.6 lengths) fourth in an excellent first up performance.
Jameka ran the fastest closing sectional times of the race with her final 1200 metres in 1:08.42, last 1000 metres in 56.79, last 800 metres in 45.32, last 600 metres in 34.00 and final 400 metres in 22.62, looking primed for a very good autumn carnival.
Several leading contenders for Saturday week’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1,1200m) also recorded very smart times at Caulfield in the Preludes to the rich race.
In the fillies’ division, the Lindsay Park-trained Catchy (Fastnet Rock) remained unbeaten after three starts in narrowly defeating Limestone (Helmet) by a short head in a time of 1:03.64 for the 1100 metre distance, which was 0.14 faster than Property (Starcraft) in winning the colts and geldings’ division.
Catchy came from sixth at the 1000 metres clocking a fast 55.41, with her last 800 metres in 44.73, last 600 metres in 33.71, last 400 metres in 22.25 and final 200 metres in 11.02.
Limestone was more handily placed in third spot on the rails, got a split to lead at the 50 metres but could not hold off the winner after running a bold race. She was timed to run her last 1000 metres in 55.81, last 800 metres in 45.08, last 600 metres in 34.00, last 400 metres in 22.31 and 11.05 for her final 200 metres.
While Property came from back in seventh place at the 1000 metres to win the colts and geldings’ race by three-quarters of a length, clocking slightly slower sectional with his last 1000 metres in 56.01, last 800 metres in 44.87, last 600 metres in 33.94, last 400 metres in 22.28 with his final 200 metres in 11.63.
The runner up, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt Pariah (Redoute’s Choice) impressed, after being forced to ease back when caught deep from barrier nine and he put up a very smart effort in coming from ninth at the 400 metres.
Pariah clocked 55.70 for his final 1000 metres, 44.70 (last 800m), 33.62 (last 600m) with an especially impressive final 400 metres of 21.99 and final 200 metres in 11.14.
In what appears as an open Blue Diamond Stakes with a number of contenders having strong claims, Pariah looks an improving colt (Saturday being only his second start) who appears to be peaking at the right time.