The Chase

We are accustomed to seeing China Horse Club’s distinctive colours at the forefront of Gr1 racing, but what is becoming just as prevalent is the CHC brand on the shoulder of elite Gr1 winners. Randwick Guineas winner Communist is a CHC bred, but the horse that typifies the excellence the Club seeks is the flying Ozzmosis, dominant winner of the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. In January The Chase, the Club owned farm at Sutton Forest, will take their second draft of eleven quality yearlings to the Gold Coast, all bred and prepared to give buyers the opportunity to repeat the dose.

Understandably China Horse Club’s Australian representative Michael Smith is delighted with the success of CHC breds over the past year. “It shows the market we can consistently breed and offer for sale top class horses. “We’d been knocking on that Gr1 door with CHC bred Gold Coast graduates Revolutionary Miss Giannis and Meritable being runners up in the Blue Diamond, JJ Atkins & NZ 2000 Guineas respectively, so it was very satisfying to see Ozzmosis go one better and win Australia’s premier 3yo stallion making race down the famed Flemington straight with such conviction.”

Given this is just the second draft The Chase will take to Bundall, we asked Michael what progression he had observed from the highly successful 2023 draft? “Every year we endeavour to raise a better athlete through improving the genetics we offer and how we raise our young stock. Alex Kingston’s addition as our farm manager 18 months ago has been a big contributor to that. All eleven yearlings we are offering are by proven stallions and eight are out of Stakes producing or Stakes performing mares. They have been raised on good undulating country to be athletes.” With all eleven having the pedigree and upbringing to star on the turf, we asked Michael to give us his opinion on a few he feels the market will clamour for -

Lot 372: A Zoustar filly out of the Gr3 winner Yattarna by Exceed And Excel. Michael said of her “A lovely athletic filly. She looks like a back end 2yo and Darley Princess Series special for the spring like so many of Zoustar’s good fillies have been. She’s out of a Gr3 winning Exceed and Excel mare to add icing to the cake.”

Lot 506: Another Zoustar filly, this time out of Capella, a daughter of Rip Van Winkle. “I think this filly is very special. Very forward and strong, she’s a well-made filly with a great action. She just looks a guaranteed two year-old and one to aim at the top juvenile races including the Magic Millions Classic. Out of the winner of the Gr2 Eight Carat Classic, her dam has already produced a 2yo Stakes performer in Lambda.”

Lot 556: A So You Think colt out of Crystal Flute by Encosta De Lago making him a half-brother to New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas runner up Meritable.

“I think he is outstanding. He has a proper pedigree from the family of Redoute’s Choice, the mare is already a Gr1 producer and So You Think couldn’t be going any better having sired The Everest winner in Think About It. This horse looks every inch the athlete, medium sized, great head with a lot of quality and a lovely action and outlook.” This family has already had an update producing the Flemington Listed winner Schwarz.

Lot 698: A Deep Field filly out of Galina by Smart Missile. “She’s the epitome of an Aussie 2yo; square and strong with great depth to her she looks forward and ready to get up and run. She is out of a half-sister to Russian Revolution from the family of Home Affairs, so there is plenty of class in the family and of course they aren’t making any more Deep Fields.”

Lot 740: An I Am Invincible filly out of New Zealand One Thousand Guineas winner Hasahalo by Savabeel. “She has one of the best pages in the book and has the physical to match, a lovely sharp filly that oozes quality. In addition to being a Gr1 winner at 3, Hasahalo was a dynamic 2yo as runner up in the Gr2 Wakefield Pre-Christmas, winner of the G3 Eclipse and runner up in the Karaka Millions. She also has two Stakes winning half-sisters about to start producing. It’s a two dam pedigree page that could soon be just the one dam.” Hasahalo’s half siblings Hasabro, All Saints’ Eve and All Hallow’s Eve are all Stakes winners.

Lot 757: A Russian Revolution colt out of Holyhead by Pierro. “One of the best Russian Revolution colts we have bred. A powerful, imposing horse, he’s from the family of Ozzmosis, Learning To Fly, Hips Don’t Lie etc.”

Along with that sextet The Chase team will also parade smashing colts by Savabeel and Flying Artie, and smart fillies by Exceed And Excel, Capitalist, and Shamus Award, all more than worthy of inspection because the chances are that CHC brand will be in featured in plenty more Gr1 photos in the near future.