Chautauqua & Buffering primed for Chairman’s Sprint Prize
The Australian duo in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin this Sunday are working well in preparation for the 1200m feature.
Champion sprinters Chautauqua and Buffering both took to the track for work on a hot Wednesday in Hong Kong.
“The little things are important,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said of Chautauqua.
“We’re just covering all bases. It’s a game of inches, so any little thing that might help is worth doing.
“It certainly doesn’t hurt for him to know where he is going on race day. He’s not a hot horse but he does get a bit ‘bouncy’. He’ll be fine with all the hullabaloo on race day, there’s been plenty of that when he’s run on big days at Flemington.”
The last start T.J. Smith Stakes winner had a quiet canter on the all-weather track with Hawkes saying his runner is, “All good, he’s full of life.”
The six-year-old has adjusted well to the atmosphere of Hong Kong, but the big crowds at Flemington won’t have prepared it for what’s to come. The crowds at Sha Tin often exceed 100,000 and it even had an 80,000 turnout to a trial meeting at the start of the season.
The crowd will be roaring back in Australia, too, for fan-favourite Buffering which is coming off a last-start win in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint. The Robert Heathcote-trained gelding was worked under David Hayes’ employee Alexandra Slattery who said Buffering, “Felt terrific, lovely horse.”
The eight-year-old is looking to make it four consecutive wins and Heathcote was pleased with its work earlier this week on Tuesday.
“Very happy with his work. Nice blow out and Melanie [Sharpe, track rider] gave him the thumbs up,” Heathcote said.
“It was a bit warm out there and we galloped quite late in the morning, after waiting for the trials to finish, but it didn’t bother him. Coming from Queensland, he’s used to the humidity.”
Chautauqua also pleased the eye last Tuesday, running its last 200m in 10.4 seconds and co-trainer John Hawkes seem pleased with how it pulled up following the 1000m gallop.
“He worked really well. I’m sure the sectionals will be quick but really the time is immaterial with a horse like this. We know he can run time,” Hawkes said.
“He’s got a massive stride and he really lowers himself, like a Ferrari, when he’s at full stretch. It’s more about how he pulls up. He had a bit of a blow but he’s fine, perfect.”
Punters are showing confidence in both Chautauqua and Buffering. Chautauqua has shortened into $2.20 after hovering around the $2.50 mark all week, whereas Buffering has stayed steady on the second line of betting at $6.50.
Many of the local runners in the Chairman’s Sprint skipped work on Thursday, which included current third favourite Aerovelocity and $8 chance Lucky Bubbles. Former Australian runner Not Listenin’tome, now with John Moore, had a tough run in Dubai and has subsequently been given only light work in preparation for this Sunday’s big race.
“You just don’t know after a horse travels,” Moore said.
“He’s given every indication since Dubai that he’s fine but you just don’t know until they race – they can run flat on you. It seems like he’s going good, he’s back to his winning body weight and he should be at his top, but there’s always a thought in the back of the mind that Dubai might have taken the edge off him.”
Punters are echoing Moore’s thoughts and haven’t touched Notlistenin’tome at a long-shot price of $21. Moore also lines up Charles The Great which is expected to struggle at $126.
The other major race on the card is the Group 1 Hong Kong Champions Mile where Japanese superstar Maurice is the firm favourite with Sportsbet.com.au.
The five-year-old comes into the feature having won its last four races with three coming at group 1 level. The last-start Group 1 Hong Kong Mile winner has the race at its mercy and the $2.20 with bookmakers is a very generous price.
Maurice worked on Wednesday at a leisurely pace on the turf course and assistant trainer Toru Munakata is pleased with its progress.
“He has settled. He was training well, just as he was in Miho Training Centre in Japan,” Munakata said. “Everything is okay so far. We’re planning to ask Joao Moreira to ride him tomorrow [Thursday] for the fast track work on the turf.”
It wasn’t too long ago when Packing Pins ($17 at Crownbet.com.au) was the star thoroughbred in Hong Kong, but it has shown positive signs in two runs this year.
“It was a really good run last time at the 1200m, after a long break, and I thought he went really well in his last barrier trial,” trainer Ricky Yiu said. “We’ll see what the weather does but the plan is to do some fast work tomorrow on the all-weather track – if it’s too wet we might try the grass. It would be good if we can get the usual ground conditions for him – normal is what we want.
“It’s going to be a fast pace; he’ll be a good 1400m/miler in the long run.”
The softer track conditions throughout the week didn’t play into the hands of Safety Check ($7.50) which will be wanting firm conditions on Sunday, akin to what it usually gets in the UAE. Track rider and English Derby-winning jockey Willie Ryan expressed his concern.
“He feels very well, although the track was a touch soft for his liking,” Ryan said.