A half-brother to Champion 3YO Filly Shoals (Fastnet Rock), Written Tycoon colt Chicama appreciated not only the step up to 1400m for the first time to break his maiden, but a change to the Joe Pride yard appears to have also done the trick.
Having finished third last time out when having his first start for Pride, the blue-blooded colt jumped away the short-priced favourite in Wednesday’s Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale Handicap (1400m).
Jockey Nash Rawiller appeared content to allow Chicama to travel wide with cover after jumping from barrier seven in the nine-horse field as the Chris Waller trained Cadillac Sam (Zoustar) went forward to lead after a good start.
Asked for an effort with about 500m to run, Chicama found himself in a challenging position as the field wheeled into the home straight where the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton trained Augusta National (Zoustar) had strode to the lead.
As the pair settled down to fight out the race, it wasn’t until right on the line that Chicama had his head in front, scoring narrowly to break his maiden at his fifth start.
It won’t be long before Augusta National finds himself in the winner’s stall, with the Chris Waller trained Aladdin’s Girl (NZ) (Satono Alladin), sporting the same silks as Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy, getting home well for third.
“Yeah, that was good,” said Pride post-race. “And he needed to do that here today.”
“He's been a colt who's obviously very well bred; he was an expensive horse and he's come to the stable as a new acquisition for us.
“He came in good order, but we had a little bit to work on in terms of his temperament, and I think he's getting there.
“Nice win from him today. I'd be interested to hear what Nash says about him.
“He's a pretty laid-back customer, but I think eventually that's going to play into his hands. But he's just got to learn a little bit about race craft, and when he does, he's going to keep improving.”
With Nash riding the colt for just the second time, he felt Pride had been able to get him going in the right direction.
“Yeah, look, he just felt we were behind the eight-ball leaving the gates,” said Rawiller.
“He didn't quite jump as well as I hoped. I just decided to ride my horse to try and get him comfortable before I committed to anything.
“And to be fair, although we ended up wide in a beautiful spot, it looked like it was going to be a bit dicey for a while, I sort of had enough confidence in him if I could keep him balanced, he'd get the job done.
“When they quickened, it sort of left him a bit flat-footed there before the corner and probably had he been up there three wide with him, I think he would have out-toughed it with him.
“He's a nice horse, big, huge striding horse who's still learning what to do with himself. But you know, Joe's got him on the right track now, and I'm sure he can go on with it.”
With a win and three third placed efforts from his five starts, the Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd and GSA Bloodstock Pty Ltd bred colt was consigned through the draft of Arrowfield at the Inglis Easter yearling sale where he was knocked down to China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy for $1.35m.
Chicama is the seventh winner from seven to the races out of the winning Hussonet mare The Broken Shore, herself a half-sister to Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) and his Group 1 winning half-brother Manhattan Rain (Encosta de Lago).
Headed by triple Group 1 winner Shoals, whose first foal is the Group 3 winner Isthmus (I Am Invincible), Chicama is also a half to the Listed-winning, Group 1 Caulfield Guineas placed Groundswell (Fastnet Rock).
The Broken Shore’s current 2yo Maurice colt Intrepid is in the stable of Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich, while the mare was not covered in 2023 before being exported to Great Britain in January 2024 with no further coverings recorded.
One of 50 winners so far this season for Written Tycoon, the Yulong based sire is currently sitting in sixth position on the Leading Australia General Sires, headed by last weekend’s Group 3 The Nivison winner Gangsta Granny and will be represented by a host of stakes runners this coming Saturday.
