While Randwick is set to offer $2.6 million in prizemoney on Saturday, this sum does not come close to the remarkable amount Coolmore paid for Chayan at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in May.
Despite a drop-off in her biggest challenge, the Group 1 Golden Slipper seven weeks earlier, the global breeding giant’s confidence in the now three-year-old filly remained strong, prompting them to spend such a figure for her racing return in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m).
Training partners Annabel and Rob Archibald, who are also new parents, brought the daughter of I Am Invincible out for a race-day outing at Rosehill yesterday. Zac Lloyd rode her, while James McDonald was competing in Melbourne.
“She was really good and we just wanted to bring her out and get rid of that nervous energy,” Annabel said.
“She didn’t need to do a whole lot because physically she is fairly forward anyway, but it is good to get that nervous energy away.”
Archibald conceded that the soft track conditions had influenced Chayan’s eighth-place finish in the 1200m juvenile feature on March 21. He also believes the filly had likely already achieved her ‘grand final’ in her victory in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes over the same distance a fortnight prior.
“She was on her toes going out for the gallop but Zac said that once she cantered off, she dropped her head and felt really good,” Archibald elaborated, noting Chayan’s time of 38.63 seconds for the final 600m of her gallop.
“It took a while for him to pull her up but hopefully that is just blowing the cobwebs away and she’ll kick off in the Furious.”
The stable is content to have James McDonald back on Chayan, after he steered the Tony Gollan-trained Pembrey to a notable victory in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
“Chayan must have given him a good feel in the two (recent) trials and she’s trialled up really well, looks good, is fit but we don’t know her exact path yet.”
The Archibalds’ strategy involves securing another win for Chayan over 1200 metres, followed by a successful run at 1400m, before they decide on her path to the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) on October 3. You can find competitive betting markets for the Furious Stakes at various sports betting platforms.
