Chocante Photo: Trish DUnell

Steady comeback for Chocante

A gradual approach is being taken in a bid to get stayer Chocante back to racing in the late spring.

Chocante, winner of the 2017 Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) at Doomben and third in the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) in Sydney, has been off the scene for 14 months, his last start when unplaced in the Listed Tails Stakes (1600m) in Brisbane.

“He did a tendon and we’ve been giving him every chance to make it back,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. 

“He’s had a couple of light preps and is due to go back to the paddock this week.

“He does six weeks in then six out and he’s done most of his work on the treadmill.

“We’re just taking him along very slowly and if he stands up well he could have a nice light campaign from late spring. He’s worth it.”

Tommyra’s main mission undecided

The direction of Tommyra’s winter campaign will hinge on his performance at Hastings late this month.

A last-start winner of the K.S. Browne Hurdle (3350m) at Ellerslie, Tommyra is being set for the Te Whangai Romneys Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m) at Hastings on Saturday week with trainer Toby Autridge planning to use a rating 72 2100m at Tauranga this weekend to further his preparation for the next jumps assignment.

Tommyra, a son of Raise The Flag, has won three of his six hurdle starts and been placed on the other occasions, including a third two starts ago in the Waikato Hurdles (3200m) at Te Rapa.

The options being considered for Tommyra are Australia, the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton on August 7 and the Great Northern Hurdle (4190m) at Ellerslie on September 7.

“We’ll be wiser after the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle,” Autridge said. “Doug (part-owner and breeder Doug Robb) lets me make the plans, but he has said that he would love to have a go at the Grand National. It will all depend on the weather where he goes. 

“As for Australia, I’m not so sure. It could be a bit risky taking him over there. Sure he jumps well, but he doesn’t like schooling much and he has to school to qualify when he gets there. It’s something we’ll have to consider before we finally decide where to go.”

Filly shows Oaks potential

Late-season two-year-old Pontivy has marked herself as a potential Oaks filly following a strong win over 1600m at Pakenham on Monday.

Trained by the Lindsay Park Racing partnership of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Pontivy is a daughter of Tavistock and was having her second career start.

Sent out a $2.90 favourite, Pontivy scored a comfortable one-and-a-quarter length victory in the hands of Jye McNeil.

“She is a really progressive filly,” stable representative Bruno Rouge-Serret said.

“She is well-bred and bred to get even further.

“When she had clear air she devastatingly ran over top of them. It was a bit like old Dulcify used to win his races and she wears the famous Dulcify colours.”

Pontivy was purchased by Moody Racing from Rich Hill Stud’s 2018 Book 1 draft at Karaka for $150,000 and is the second winner for Not A Single Doubt mare Belle De Jeu.

The filly is bred on the highly successful Tavistock-Zabeel nick which has produced the Group One winners Werther, Tavago and Tarzino.