Owners to plead for Chautauqua

CHAMPION sprinter Chautauqua’s race career is as good as over after Racing NSW stewards announced they will no longer accept any nominations for the horse to trial or race.

But at a specially convened meeting before stewards later today, Chautauqua’s owners get one final opportunity to argue why the “grey flash” should continue racing before the ban is confirmed.

Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel said his preliminary decision is to bar Chautauqua from trials and races after the gelding missed the start badly in a special barrier trial at Rosehill last Saturday.

Chautauqua has refused to leave the barriers in six previous trials this year and the Rosehill trial was going to be make-orbreak for the horse — if he missed the start again stewards had announced they would refuse his entry for trials and races.

Although Chautauqua eventually came out of the bar- riers several lengths behind the field before giving chase and finishing a close second in the trial, stewards ruled the gelding “failed to jump from the barriers to their satisfaction”.

Van Gestel revealed before the ban is enforced, stewards will hear final pleas from Chautauqua’s owners to extend the sprinter’s race career.

Van Gestel said stewards will meet with the owners and hear their submissions from 1pm.

Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes declined to comment last night.