Kristen Buchanan had no intention of parting with Lot 188 when he didn’t reach his reserve at the Inglis Ready 2Race sale in October 2022.
The then two-year-old son of Spieth hadn’t raced, but the Wyong trainer really liked him and put a $150,000 price tag on him for the Sydney auction..
“There was no way I was going to give him away when he didn’t make that money,” Buchanan, who had purchased the colt for $40,000 earlier in the year at the Inglis Classic yearling sale Highway session, said after Chevron had broken the ice on the Kensington track yesterday.
“I said to my fellow owners that you can’t buy a colt of this quality, so why are we going to sell him, and I’m glad we didn’t.”
It had taken the now three-year-old Chevron nine starts to break through at $3.80 in the Vale Cliff Clare Super Maiden Plate (1300m), and Buchanan was understandably thrilled to see him “get the job done”.
“I have thrown him in the deep end a few times, but have no regrets,” she said.
“All the travelling has undoubtedly helped mature him. He is a consummate professional.”
Buchanan thought enough of Chevron to run him in both the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) and Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm during last year’s Brisbane winter carnival, then took him south earlier this month to resume in the $1m Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
Though Chevron began awkwardly today, jockey Koby Jennings quickly got him going to take up the running, and he travelled strongly throughout.
Chevron was never seriously threatened in the straight and held out Ohtani ($6.40) and Miss Reilly ($4.80).
Buchanan also accepted with the colt at Hawkesbury tomorrow, but the $100,000 purse in town was clearly appealing.
“I’m sure Chevron is going to continue to repay us for not selling him now that he has broken through,” Buchanan said.
“But for now, it’s one step at a time.”
Chevron was Buchanan’s 21st winner of the season (her career 291st), and her stable is firing on all cylinders, having trained seven winners from her past 14 starters.
She will attempt to qualify Oakfield Waratah for the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 13 by finishing first or second in her home track 1350m heat on Saturday.
Lee Magorrian rides a resuming Oakfield Waratah, and won a 1000m Gosford trial on him on March 19.
The more they win, the better the price!
Hawkesbury trainer Marc Chevalier is doing a terrific job with Everyone’s A Star, another Kensington winner yesterday..
The Star Turn mare made it two in a row against her own sex on the Kensington track – and Tyler Schiller has been aboard on both occasions.
After landing a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) on March 13 at $6, Everyone’s A Star was sent out at $10 this time in as similar race over 1150m – and did the job again.
After beginning well and sitting on the pace, she beat another $10 chance Southern Chilli and Waikiki ($6.50), leaving her rivals with no excuses.
She was impressive as she went up 2kg,” Chevalier said enroute home.
“I was a bit worried when she began so well and raced up outside the leader, but Tyler took advantage of her good beginning and there was nothing else he could do anyway.
“He kept Everyone’s A Star in a good rhythm, and they had their chance to run her down.”
Whilst Chevalier, who has now prepared six winners this season, is understandably keen to get a hat-trick with his mare, it won’t be in the next couple of weeks.
“I’ll go easy on her for a while, but she will stay in the stable,” he said.
“Everyone’s A Star is good mates with stablemate The Crimson Idol (who races at Hawkesbury tomorrow), and I don’t want to separate them.
“I’m looking at another race in town at the end of next month to give her the chance to add a Saturday city event to her record.”
That will be a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 27.
Meanwhile, Chevalier hasn’t lost faith in his stayer Torrens, who will have his final Sydney Cup trial in the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick on Saturday week.
“I did nominate him for the Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, but it would have been a tough task at weight-for-age,” he said.
“Torrens likes Randwick and the 2600m will suit him, provided we don’t get rain-affected ground.
“Provided he runs well, he will back up in the Sydney Cup (3200m) there a week later.”
Story John Curtis, March 27, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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