Chambord Makes a Welcome Return

The Informant reports:

Classy gelding Chambord has been off the scene for more than a year due to injury but will make a welcome return to racing in New Year Day's Russell Roads City of Hastings Cup.

The five-year-old son of Zabeel has started only 12 times but has made a big impression, winning twice and placing in the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Gr. 2 Great Northern Guineas and Listed Matamata Cup and Ray Coupland Stakes.

Chambord was set to start one of the favourites in the 2014 Coupland's Bakeries Mile at Riccarton but suffered a fracture to a cannon-bone (on the morning he was due to fly south - Ed) and has been on the sidelines ever since.

However, he has been patiently nursed back to health and has delighted his co-trainer Jamie Richards with his build-up to tomorrow's comeback.

CHAMBORD: 1st start in 450 days

“He's come back really well, he's really muscled up and put quite a bit of weight on,” Richards said. “He's had a couple of trials and come through them nicely. The main thing is we're really happy with his soundness.

“He'll improve for this run, but he could definitely be competitive in the race. It's a small field and he'll get in with a nice weight of 53.5 kilograms after Leah Hemi takes a couple of kilograms off. We're hoping to see him hit the line strongly.”

A good performance tomorrow could put Chambord on course for a rapid return to elite competition.

“We'll take it one step at a time with him but there are some big sprints coming up in the near future - races like the Telegraph and NRM Sprint,” Richards said.

“He's not nominated for the Telegraph at the moment but we might consider it as an option. We'll get through Friday first, see how he pulls up and then sit down and make a plan for the rest of the season.”

Chambord will face just four rivals in tomorrow's $15,000 event over 1300 metres. At the top of the weights is the local Adventador, the winner of last year's Listed Levin Stakes.

Speech Craft has been in good form this time in, while The Bold One was placed in the Levin Stakes two starts back. The field is rounded out by the talented local mare Mae West.