Fresh Jimmy Choux Key To The Cox Plate

Jimmy Choux

Jimmy Choux

As expected kiwi superstar Jimmy Choux will not have a start in Australia before the Group 1 Cox Plate in the spring.

Trainer John Bary will instead prefer to keep him racing at home in New Zealand on a very carefully mapped out program.

His schedule will make sure he has at least a three week gap between each run as the horse is certainly better off when fresh.

It was something that Bary learned this year after Jimmy Choux came to Australia in the spring and won the Rosehill Guineas with his first run.

Although he had a two week break before his next start in the Australian Derby he was a shadow of himself and never got into the race.

That means the usual form guides such as the Toorak Handicap and Yalumba Stakes won’t be quite as solid with a major player coming from a vastly different route.

Jimmy Choux had a massive season after starting back in September and working right through until April.

Bary managed to do this by spacing out his runs and it’s worked to great effect.

He’s won seven races form 10 starts including the Group 1 New Zealand Derby, Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Group 1 Levin Classic and the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.

The two week backup between his Australian runs was the shortest of his entire campaign and it was also on a heavy track.

Jimmy Choux is expected to be named this season’s New Zealand horse of the year to cap off an incredible three-year-old campaign.

He came back into work a fortnight ago and there are big expectations about the spring and further into the future.

‘He spelled fantastically. He’s so well. He’s nice and fat and chubby at the moment but he hasn’t got top heavy, which is great.’ Bary said.

“He’s had two weeks back in the stable and is looking great. We’re hopeful of a big spring and looking maybe to attract an invitation to the Hong Kong International meeting in December.

“At this stage he’s have two or perhaps three runs maximum going into the Cox Plate.”

It looks like his first up test across the ditch in the spring will be the Group 1 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes over 1400m on August 27th.

Following that he’ll have more than a month off before racing again on October 1st in the Group 1 Spring Classic over a 2040m trip.

He’s one member of a very good looking New Zealand contingent which is primed to dominate the Melbourne spring.

Following a similar path with an entry in the Spring Classic is Wall Street, winner of last year’s Emirates Stakes.

Queen of the Brisbane Carnival Scarlett Lady will also be on show potentially targeting the cup’s circuit.

Connections of dual Group 1 winner Booming also have the Melbourne Cup firmly in their sights

Thrown into the mix the likes of recognisable stalwarts Lion Tamer, Harris Tweed and Keep The Peace and it’s an imposing list.

Anabandana, King’s Rose and Barinka could all also be boarding a plane when things start to warm up later in the year.

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