Vale, Jimmy Choux

Media Release - Sunday January 28

One of the cult heroes of New Zealand racing has passed away with news coming through that former Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner and successful stallion Jimmy Choux was humanely euthanised earlier in the week.

Group One-winning galloper and sire Jimmy Choux.  Photo: Trish Dunell

The multiple Group One winner was the standout story of racing in New Zealand during the 2011 calendar year where he captured four Group One titles and went within a length of a fifth when finishing runner-up to Pinker Pinker in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) of that year.

His accomplishments for owners and breeders Richard and Liz Wood put fledgling trainer John Bary and former jumps jockey turned flat rider Jonathan Riddell on the map, with Bary quick to pay tribute to his mate and stable star.

“We got the news from his home at Rosalee Park Stud in Western Australia on Tuesday that he had to be humanely euthanized as he was suffering from nose cancer,” Bary said.

Advertisement

“It certainly brought back some very special memories as he was such a lovely horse, a great character and he put a novice trainer and battling former jumps jockey on the map.

“The support he had from the general public was quite amazing as they really seemed to take him to heart and he returned that affection by trying his heart out every time we lined him up.

“He wasn’t a natural talent but he had a big heart and big brain which meant he did things that a lot of horses couldn’t do. It would be great to have a few more like him in the stable.”

Bary nominated his 2011 New Zealand Derby win as one of his fondest memories and was philosophical about the lowlight which was the narrow defeat in the Cox Plate later that year.

“He gave me my first stakes victory when he won the Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham (Gr.2, 1200m) and then in his three-year-old season he won the Derby which was worth $2.2million at the time, which was just enormous for us all.

“He went close to becoming the first horse to complete the Triple Crown at Hastings as he finished runner up in the Makfi Challenge Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m) before winning the next two legs,” he said.

“We took him to Australia for the Cox Plate and he went so close to winning that day.

“Jonathan rode a ten out of ten race that day and we got beaten by an eleven out of eleven effort by Craig Williams on Pinker Pinker.”

Following his successful racetrack career Jimmy Choux found his way to Rich Hill Stud at Walton in the Waikato where he produced Group One winners The Bostonian and Two Illicit amongst his five individual stakes winners.

“Jimmy was with us for eight seasons after his racetrack career,” Rich Hill principal John Thompson said.

“He was an easy horse to promote as he had such a following and he left some very nice horses without quite reaching the heights we wanted him to.

“He had The Bostonian and Two Illicit but was probably a very good bread and butter stallion and it is sad to hear about his demise as he was a lovely horse to have around the farm.

“The breeders here didn’t want to support him in the end but he found a lovely home in West Australia.”

Jimmy Choux won twelve of his 26 starts and more than $3.6million during his career on the track and produced 141 individual winners from his time at stud. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 3
Here is the full list of 59 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
2YOs at Flemington - G3 Maribyrnong Plate Sale Mail
Juvenile racing will kick off Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday with an early start at 10.45am for the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) with nine colts and four fillies engaged.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.