Chau’s far from smooth ride to training could be about to hit a high note
Gold Coast trainer has designs on Magic Millions with promising juvenile Russian Warrior
If it was not for the severe economic impact of the pandemic on the hospitality sector, Allan Chau would most likely still be behind the blender at his Brisbane smoothie bar making fresh juices and other healthy concoctions.
Instead, his CBD business, the income stream which was set to be his life after racing, was swallowed up by Covid. Instinct kicked in, and to survive, Chau returned to the familiar surrounds of racetracks and stables from his Gold Coast base on a full-time basis.
At Doomben today, the rookie trainer, who still retains his jockey’s licence, will saddle up exciting two-year-old first starter Russian Warrior (Russian Revolution) in the Written By – 1st Yearlings Selling 2022 2YO Handicap (1200m).
The highest-priced yearling sold this year by Newgate Farm’s dual Group 1-winning first season sire Russian Revolution (Snitzel) at $425,000, Russian Warrior is owned by A List Stud’s Chris Lee who has thrust Chau into the spotlight by giving him ten horses to train on the Gold Coast, the maximum he is allowed to have in his stable as a dual licence holder.
The filly, passed in at the recent Magic Millions 2YOs in Training Sale with a reserve of $535,000, made people stand up and take notice with an impressive two-and-a-quarter length 1000-metre barrier trial win at Doomben on November 23, not long after the Gold Coast auction.
The daughter of Russian Warrior, who will be ridden by the experienced Michael Cahill, drew barrier ten of 11, which has tempered Chau’s first-up expectations.
“She is a promising little filly. She’s ticked all the boxes to potentially be a very nice racehorse. There’s a few in there who have already won and there’s some well-bred horses in there, so it’s a really good stepping stone into her racing career to see what level she’s capable of reaching,” Chau told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.
“I am a jockey myself, so I have ridden at Doomben plenty of times and it’s a very, very tricky start, the 1200 to the first corner, but I have got Mick on her and he’s probably ridden ten times more winners than I have, so I will leave her in his capable hands.
“In her trial she’s shown plenty of gate speed and hopefully she’s in the first half a dozen and we’ll test her out after that.”
Chau hopes Russian Warrior can perform well enough today to prove to both himself and Lee that she can make the field for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 15.
“Our main goal is to win the race, but for our first season, just to have a runner to qualify for it, that would be a big stepping stone; a big leap for me as a trainer,” Chau said.
“It would also help the A List brand itself as it expands and really sets foot into the market in Australia and let people know that we are in business.”
Chau, a veteran of 17 years in the saddle, plied his trade as a jockey in the NSW mid north coast prior to a stint based at Mudgee where he would criss-cross the state and enjoyed much success in the south before weight began to become an issue.
It prompted him to buy the Brisbane smoothie bar and move to Queensland while still riding at the odd race meeting, but not driving for hours with the heater and sweat gear on to get there.
Then came an approach which made Chau reassess his options.
“A big supporter of mine, which is A List and Chris Lee, who is also a good (family) friend of mine, pursued me to take this opportunity,” he recalled.
“Chris was always in my ear: ‘you can’t ride forever, being a jockey, so there’s another avenue you need to look at and move on, I’ve got plenty of horses, why don’t you have a go and become a trainer?’”
In years gone by, the way Russian Warrior galloped on the Gold Coast course proper on Tuesday, Chau would have been ferociously chasing the ride.
“I have a very good group of staff working for me at the moment, but I do ride the majority of the fast work myself, the important gallops,” he said.
“For example, Russian Warrior is racing (today) and I did her final gallop on the grass on Tuesday.
“She felt 100 per cent to me, I couldn’t be any happier with her work on Tuesday morning. I joked to the owner, as a jockey I’d chase the ride on these horses, now I finally have some nice horses, I am not riding them myself.”
Chau is philosophical about his smoothie bar misfortune and is excited about what lies ahead for him and A List.
“Sadly that was gone. As soon as Covid hit, that was good bye,” he said.
“Over the last two or three years, lots of things have happened, there’s been lots of ups and downs, people have gone through a lot of different things, so one door opens and another one opens, I suppose.
“I have plenty of support from Chris. I can walk into a full stable straight away and I don’t have to try to build from one or two horses in work.
“That is probably another reason why I jumped at this opportunity, knowing that I have got plenty of ammunition behind me.”
Lee himself is having a growing presence in Australian racing and breeding under his A List banner with his farm in Victoria, once known as Laceby Lodge, and leasing Lincoln Farm in the Hunter Valley where his yearlings are being prepared for the upcoming sales.
Magic Millions’ Nicky Wong has a close association with Lee and believes Russian Warrior is an example of the ambition he has for the Hong Kong-owned A List Stud and its racing team.
Russian Warrior is the second foal out of Group 2-winning mare French Fern (Lope De Vega).
“We bought her in the January sale. We looked at her at that time and I remember Chris asking me, ‘what do you think about her?’” Wong said yesterday.
“She had a very smooth stride, she was relaxed, so I liked the horse and the way she walked, but I told him she didn’t look like a typical sprinting type and that she might come a bit later as she matures.”
He was not alone in believing that the filly had the right credentials, as there was strong competition on the China Horse Club-bred Russian Warrior at the sale.
“The reason Chris bought the filly was because he’s been trying to build up his broodmare band. Chris has around 50 broodmares now and he wants them to become an elite class band, so he’s always trying to source the best ones for his farm.”
Wong added: “Chris has been getting involved in racing in the past three years and he’s been really supporting Magic Millions as well.
“We really hope the filly goes well on Saturday and then she can make her way to the Magics (race in January).”
As for Chau, a rider renowned for his strength, he has one specific goal he wants to achieve before he focuses solely on training.
He said: “I haven’t put a timeline on it because I am still learning, but I did say to Chris that I would love to train and ride a winner and have the photo on the wall before I give up being a jockey.”