ONE of Australia’s most popular horses, Chautauqua, the ‘Grey Flash’.

He had initially been banned from racing by the stewards after he failed to jump out on terms in a barrier trial at Rosehill on Saturday.

Racing NSW Stewards made a preliminary decision to ban the former star sprinter from all forms of racing.

However, Chautauqua’s owners were allowed make submissions as to why the preliminary decision should not be confirmed. Managing owner Rupert Legh and a horse behaviourist spent more than half an hour pleading their case to stewards via telephone.

“It’s in this horse’s character to not jump with the field and no punter has ever lost money because Chautauqua didn’t jump from the gates,” Legh said. “Punters know he misses the start and continue to back him. He’s never jumped with the field.”

The owners also argued that Chautauqua’s fame and pulling power was a good enough reason to allow him to continue his career.

The horse behaviourist, identified only as ‘Mr Q’, had only been working with Chautauqua since August 1st.

The fact Chautauqua had shown improvement since working with the behaviourist convinced stewards to give him more time and another chance, but he wont be able to trial until after September 22nd.

Chautauqua has won 13 of his 32 starts including six at Group 1 level, amassing $8.8 million prize money. His famous last-to-first charges made him one of racing’s most exciting horses and swept him to a T.J. Smith Stakes three-timer and the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong.

Bonneval crowned NZ HOTY

STAR Kiwi mare Bonneval was crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year for a second successive year when successfully defending her title at the 2018 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards in Auckland on Sunday night, reports NZ Racing Desk.

Bonneval is the fifth successive Horse of the Year winner trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

The Makfi mare was the only New Zealand-trained horse to win a Group 1 race in Australia in the 2017-18 season and is scheduled to return to Melbourne this spring.