Chambord to Show True Colours

The Informant reports:

Chambord has been making good progress in his comeback from a long injury lay-off, and connections hope he will show his class in tomorrow's (Saturday) Dukedom Cup at Trentham.

The Zabeel gelding was Group One-placed in the 2000 Guineas as a three-year-old, but he missed most of his four-year-old season with a fractured cannon-bone.

Now a five-year-old, Chambord returned with two fifth placings over sprint distances in January before running a fast-finishing second over 1400 metres at Awapuni on February 13.

“He gets in very nicely at the weights for this race, 54.5 kilograms isn't bad at all for a horse of his class.”

Chambord will step up to 1600 metres for tomorrow's $30,000 open handicap. He will be ridden by Chris Johnson and will carry just 54.5 kilograms, half a kilogram above the minimum.

“We're very happy with the horse,” co-trainer Stephen Autridge said. “He's done some very nice work leading into the race this weekend and we think he must be getting close to a winning turn.

“He gets in very nicely at the weights for this race, 54.5 kilograms isn't bad at all for a horse of his class.”

Chambord failed in his only attempts beyond 1600 metres as a three-year-old, running 13th in the Waikato Guineas and eighth in the Avondale Guineas. But Autridge believes he has matured and is likely to be effective over a middle-distance, possibly later in this campaign.

“The way he's racing now, he definitely seems like he'll stretch out over longer distances,” he said. “If he runs really well on Saturday and finishes the race off nicely, it's likely we'll consider stepping him up in distance for his next run after this.”

Chambord will face six rivals in tomorrow's race, headed by Savaria. The four-year-old daughter of Savabeel won the New Zealand Oaks on this course just over a year ago.

Savaria is stepping down from black-type company, having run eighth in the Gr. 3 Anniversary Handicap, fifth in the Gr. 3 Taranaki Cup and sixth in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Stakes in her last three starts. She will be ridden by Lisa Allpress and has the bottom weight of 54 kilograms.

The topweight is Duffers Creek, the winner of eight races including this year's Kumara Gold Nuggets. He will carry 60 kilograms tomorrow, but has won under big imposts in the past.

Shezgorgeous has won three times at Trentham, while Wiggle and Zartan are distance specialists who have won seven 1600-metre races between them.

Superturf made an outstanding start to a new career last winter, winning twice over hurdles including the $50,000 Awapuni Hurdle. He then finished a close fourth in the Great Northern Hurdle. He has won in a fresh state in the past but is likely to be outpaced here.

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