If jockey Damien Browne is lucky enough to be in the lead with 250 metres to go aboard Al Quoz Sprint winner Buffering in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday, he better look around for a grey ghost.
For out of nowhere is likely to be coming Chautauqua, Buffering’s fellow Australian raider in the Special Administrative Region, and currently the highest-ranked sprinter in the world.
Chautauqua has accumulated four Group 1 victories with his customary late flourish that took on freakish proportions in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick in Australia a week after Buffering had won at Meydan a month ago.
Following that run from last to first, Chautauqua’s trainer John Hawkes proclaimed that his five-year-old gelding was unbeatable in any race in the world if in the same form, a statement that will be put to the test in no uncertain terms on Sunday.
Chautauqua leads Buffering 3-0 in their personal rivalry in Australia, but the eight-year-old warhorse who thrilled his travelling band of owners in Dubai has proved himself on the world stage. Saying it, and doing it, are two very different propositions.
Nine out of the past 10 winners of the Group 1 race have been drawn in the first five stalls and Buffering was fortunately left with gate three having been the last to draw at the post position draw.
Chautauqua will break from his outside in six, Peniaphobia, who was only a length behind Buffering in the Al Quoz Sprint, will break from eight, while Not Listenin’tome, who was a lacklustre ninth at Meydan, looks to have been handed a tricky assignment from 12.
Mongolian Saturday, the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner who missed the Al Quoz Sprint due to shipping fever, was given a slice of luck with stall two. Super Jockey, who was sixth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, is in Gate 13, one inside Aerovelocity, who is widest of all the 14 runners.
“I wanted four but three will do,” Robert Heathcote joked at the post position ceremony.
“The speed is largely outside us and we might have had to work a fair bit harder had he drawn out. I’m very happy with three and happy for Buffering to lead as he’s got a high cruising speed and he’s a hard horse to get past.”
Charlie Appleby’s Safety Check drew barrier four ahead of Sunday’s Group 1 Champions Mile in contrast to Godolphin Australia’s Bow Creek, who will break from barrier 11.
Red-hot favourite Maurice showed in December when he won the Hong Kong Mile that Gate 11 was no hindrance to success, but this time will come out of gate six under Joao Moreira, who was in the saddle during morning trackwork on Thursday.
“He’s a beautiful horse. He moves like a real champion and the feel that he gave me from the top is that he is a champion,” the Brazilian jockey said after partnering the Japanese raider through 800 metres in 54 seconds with the final 400 metres in 23.4s.
“He hasn’t achieved what he has by luck, he’s done it because he’s got ability and because he’s got everything that a horse needs to be doing what he’s done.
“Hopefully, we can get the best out of him at the weekend, and if we do, he’s the one to beat.”
He later added after the post position ceremony: “The gate is not too bad, in fact it’s good in my opinion. He’s going to find it much easier to find a position with cover from there than he had to do in December.”
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