Craig Kerry
Jockey Tyler Schiller hopes a lack of race experience does not stop Chuchichaschtli from giving him a third win from five editions of the $500,000 Tapp-Craig (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday when she steps up to stakes grade from a debut midweek win.
Chuchichaschtli, a homebred talent named after a Swiss-German kitchen cupboard, won on debut for Team Hawkes in a 1200m Warwick Farm super maiden on September 23, coming with an inside run under Schiller to topple favourite and leader Love Story.
The three-quarter-length win and a draw in gate two has attracted punters, who have backed Chuchichaschtli in from $6 to a $3.20 TAB favourite on Saturday in the listed race, where she meets more experienced opposition such as Golden Gift winner Revengeance ($4.40) and Plagiarism ($5.5), which claimed the Up And Coming Stakes.
Schiller, who won the 2023 Tapp-Craig for the Hawkes on Makarena and the 2022 edition on Opal Ridge, was impressed with the debut but believed she could improve.
“She’s a really nice horse, she’s very sharp and does everything reasonably right,” Schiller said.
“She did a little bit wrong on debut, but she’s got more improvement to come, and she’s only going to get better.”
As for comparisons to Makarena, he said: “She breathes a bit better. Makarena couldn’t breathe very well, but this one is as sound as they come and I think she’s got a very bright future.
“It’s just whether it’s too early for her, but I’m sure she’ll hold herself in good stead from a good draw. She’s very sharp out so I think she’ll be on pace.”
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes was confident Chuchichaschtli was up to the task.
“I thought her win was good first up,” Hawkes said.
“Tyler never sat on her before, so he had no idea, but he does now.
“We thought she’d win that day and she won convincingly, she ran good time, and it’s good to always see form franked. Love Story comes out and wins [Wednesday] by four, and that’s why she’s shorter on Saturday than what she probably should be.
“It’s a very even race, but she’s well and she’s drawn a good barrier. It’s only a second run, she’s still learning. She’s taking on stakes company, and there are horses there that have had more races than her, but she’s a really nice filly, and she’s definitely going to go somewhere.
“I thought she’d be hard to beat.”
Schiller and Hawkes also combine with another raw winner on debut, Why So Hard, in the group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m). The All Too Hard gelding won a Randwick Saturday two-year-old race in June then was spelled. He returns on Saturday as a $19 chance against proven stakes level rivals.
“He’s a big horse, so I think he just needed a bit of time to grow and mature,” Schiller said.
“It was surprising to see him start and win as a two-year-old because he’s 17 hands and all legs. I think he’s filled out a bit and he’s looking well.
“He’s another one where it might be too soon, but he’s a lovely horse on the improve and he’s going to improve out in distance as well.”
Hawkes said the Roman Consul was a good starting point for Why So Hard.
“It’s a tougher race. There’s no doubt about that, and Baker’s horse [Paradoxium] has drawn well and it’s going to be hard to beat, especially in set weights when it’s a 92 rater,” he said.
“But our bloke, can’t fault him. He’s going to improve, he’s going to run further.”
The combination also have Hillbilly Elegy ($34) in the Gloaming Stakes, where Hawkes believed he was over the odds after a maiden Hawkesbury win last start.
“He should have won first up, he ran a placing that day, and then we went back to Hawkesbury and he won well and he’s just kept improving,” Hawkes said.
“It’s the logical step. He looks good and he’s trained on. It’s a very even sort of race, but he gets his chance I thought he’s probably well over the odds.”
Schiller and Hawkes secured a run in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes with first emergency Federalist ($34, gate one), a $1 million yearling which broke his maiden last start at Newcastle after competing at group level across 10 runs as a two and three-year-old.
“His win the other day, he’s a better horse than that, but we just wanted to give him a win on the board, and he’s done really well since,” Hawkes said.
“There’s a lot of other higher-rated horses in the race, but he’s not out of it at all. He’s drawn a good barrier and he’s going to be thereabouts, so don’t write him off.”
Hawkes said Brave One ($81) would also run from a wide gate in preparation for the Five Diamonds races.
Schiller and Hawkes also have Fierce ($2.60) as favourite in the last.
Hawkes-trained Gangsta Granny was a nomination for the Nivison, but she has been saved for next week’s Sydney Stakes.
