Cup Hopeful for Cup Winner Shocking

Media Release - Tuesday September 5
Melbourne Cup hopeful Chocante has impressed his connections with his third placing to glamour mare Winx and bold front-runner Red Excitement in the Group II  Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

"We knew he couldn't win, but we expected him to run a lot better than his price indicated ($81)," trainer Stephen Marsh said. "It was everything we hoped for and more, only Winx passed him in the straight.

"He's not a miler, it was well short of his best and he pulled up extremely well."

Chocante - Grant PetersJockey Rory Hutchings took a patient approach on the Shocking gelding who jumped well from gate nine to race handy throughout. He was not enticed to chase down Red Excitement whose jockey Joshua Parr set a strong pace.

"We had a good run," Hutchings said. "When Josh took off I didn't want to chase them down because he (Chocante) was coming into the race fresh with only one trial at Taupo.

"All I had in my head was to finish the best possible place on him and I thought that was to sit well back and let him get home and he did that."

Hutchings had a prime view of the wonder mare Winx as she produced a breathtaking finish to win her 19th race in succession.

"Just prior to the 200m I was just wondering where she was," Hutchings said. "I thought she would have got to me a lot sooner.

"She is the best horse in the world and to stay in front of her for that long was exceptional. She has beaten us by less than five lengths at one of her optimum distances and it's well short of Chocante's best, so that was very good.

"He is going to improve from that and I think he is in for a very good spring campaign."

Hutchings is hoping he can continue his partnership on the Brisbane Cup winner deeper into the spring. Chocante will run in the Gr.3 Kingston Town Stakes before tackling his main target of the spring later this month, the Gr.1 Metropolitan.

"He's the sort of horse that I think will get into the Metropolitan with a nice handy weight and if he happens to go well in that or win it, it's an exemption for the Melbourne Cup, so it will be exciting if I can stay on," he said.

"Looking back at his win in the Brisbane Cup he was solid through to the line. He's probably one of the best chances you could have from New Zealand going into the race, he's tough and he'll go all day."

Meanwhile, Hutchings is looking to re-establish himself in Sydney after being plagued by weight issues and suspensions in recent times.

"I'm freelancing at the moment," he said. "I'm riding a lot of work for Gerald Ryan, Mark Newnham and a couple of other Randwick trainers.

"Hopefully I can get on a bit of a roll just before the carnival starts and get back to where I was. I'm happy with myself, with my health and weight, so what I need now is for the rides to come and hit a bit of form." – NZ Racing Desk.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Equimillion This Long Weekend – Draws and Start Lists
Racing NSW have their annual Equimillion event coming up this long weekend at Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park and for people interested in off the trackers it’s a showcase for the sport, so let’s take a look at who’s who in the zoo.
2025 G1 Epsom Handicap Field and Barrier Draw
The field and barrier draw has been decided for the Group I Epsom Handicap on Saturday with odds-on favourite and unbeaten mare Autumn Glow drawing the extreme outside gate in a field of 14.
Ninth SW for Shocking
Free-going southern galloper Camino Rocoso led his rivals a merry chase when he dominated proceedings from the front to take out the first of the Trentham features on Saturday, the Group III Barneswood Farm Trentham Stakes (2100m).
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
She's Unusual Keeps Good Times Rolling
Continued success with resident stallion Unusual Suspect and their racing team has kept Nigel and Adaire Auret busier than they may have envisaged, but without any complaints.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Resolute Racing Purchase Top Lot Goffs Orby Day 1
The Goffs Orby Yearling Sale kicked off overnight and the top lot on Day 1 was a colt by Blue Point purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock for €675,000, while Wootton Bassett produced the top selling filly, whose half-brother Trinity College is now in Australia.
2025 G1 The Metropolitan Field and Barrier Draw
Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are set to have half of the Group I Metropolitan field between them with the Waller trained Birdman an easing favourite after drawing a wide gate for Saturday’s race.
Youngsters Impress Leading into Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale
The build up to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale has intensified with a swag of impressive breeze up performances over the past week.
Tara Talks Racing - Insights from a Legend - Darren Beadman
Beiwacht upstaged his more fancied rivals to win the $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose last Saturday in course record breaking style to become the hottest colt in Australia giving us the opportunity to chat to a legend that has been very much involved in his story so far.