At 9:30 AEST, Moonee Valley will come alive when Chautauqua, the top rated sprinter in the world, will look to add the 1000m Moir Stakes to his impressive list of successes. Although he's won over this course and distance, he'll have his work cut out tonight. Of late he's been settling well back and swooping late, something he's done to great effect. Tonight though there'll be some serious flying done up front, and the question being asked is, does he still have the zip to pick them up on this very tight track that has a run home of just 173 metres? The old war horse Buffering has won this race for the last three years and is said to working quite well. And he loves the place. He's drawn 6 and will hunt up early, but there is some serious speed drawn inside him. Ball Of Muscle and Redzel will get out with a wing on every foot and may trap Buffering deep. Not good around here. And then there's the new kid on the block, the three year old Extreme Choice. He's the second pick in the market. As a two year old he swept all before him in the Melbourne before heading to Sydney for the AU$3,500,000 Golden Slipper last March. He was badly checked just after he jumped, then was smashed against the rail. He came from nine lengths off the pace to be beaten just over two. He can get out and burn, but he like Chautauqua, might have to be dragged back. If he's ridden for speed, it'll be one hell of a race and might just play into the hands of the champ. So far between them, the nine runners have won over AU$20,000,000. 1. 11X10X. BUFFERING. (6) D. Browne. 58.5. 11-2. Winner of 2016 Al Quoz Sprint & and three timer winner of this race. Working well. 2. X1311X. CHAUTAUQUA. (5) D. DUNN. 58.5. 5-4. Won everything bar the egg and spoon race at the Easter show. Sensational win in the 2016 Chairman's Sprint in Hong Kong. He'll have to sprout wings at the end to win this. 3. 6X129X. LUCKY HUSTLER. (2) B. Rawiller. 58.5. 13-2. Will probably find this a shade too short. He'll get back early, but can get home hard, but some of those up front will be burning grass, and some won't be easy to reel in. He's a good one though. 4. 3X68X2. BALL OF MUSCLE. (3) K. McEvoy. 58.5. 20-1. A visitor from Sydney with extreme pace. Second this race last year behind Buffering, beaten less than a length. Will love the alley but can he match it with the heavies in the last furlong? 5. 215X11. REDZEL. (1) M. Zahra. 58.5. 20-1. Another from Sydney with blistering pace. New to track a worry. Carved out a slick 1100m at Caulfield last run and should hit the ground running from the inside alley. The last furlong a question as well. 6. 126X11. WILD RAIN. (8) S. Baster. 56.5. 25-1. Won three of five here including last effort in McEwen Stakes. Has early pace, but probably not enough to cross. The draw will likely be her down fall against this lot. 7. 113X13. HEATHERLY. (7) D. Lane. 56.5. 11-1. Also loves this track. Five runs, three wins and two thirds. Trapped deep when third to Wild Rain last time when beaten a length. If she couldn't get a sit then, no chance here. 8. 11156X. CHLOE OF PARIS. (4) D. Oliver. 56.5. 22-1. Local who appears out of her depth here. Was backed for a fortune in Sydney last start but seemed to have trained off. Coming fresh here but this a stiff ask. 9. -1118X. EXTREME CHOICE. (9) C. Newitt. 52. 7-2. Sensational youngster with big reputation. The nine slot is a horror. God knows how he'll be ridden. He appears to be good enough to sit deep and still win. But can he sit back and test motors with Chautauqua? A lot of eyes will be on him.
Looks as though the young colt Extreme Choice might be about to assume the mantle of the best sprinter in the land. He's on the outside in red. Settles second last. https://www.racing.com/news/2016-09-30/the-colt-can-bolt---extreme-choices-moir
Watched the race on ATR this morning. Chautauqua ran very wide but the winner was basically with him and came home the stronger
It looks like they made a mistake with Chautauqua here. He's been too slow early of late and just couldn't pick up over the 1000m on a circuit like the Valley. The commentator asked what went wrong with him, I just think he takes a bit longer to wind up. He needs at least 1200 and plenty of galloping room. I wouldn't be writing him off just yet. For those who have not seen the race, Extreme Choice is drawn the outside and is in the red and yellow. https://www.racing.com/news/2016-09-30/the-colt-can-bolt---extreme-choices-moir
