Courageous comeback by Chase The Rainbow

Chase The Rainbow was courage personified when it counted in the G3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

The son of Swettenham Stud sire Dash For Cash refused to surrender during a thrilling duel with Star Rolling. Winning jockey Craig Williams lifted the grey stallion over the line for his first black-type victory since the G2 MVRC Bill Stutt Stakes in September 2011.

“He looked a really exciting horse as a three year-old but he’s had issues since then,” Williams said. “I loved the way he toughed it out against a really good horse.”

Chase The Rainbow (5h Dash For Cash – Illusional by Redoute’s Choice) has won 5 races from just 11 starts for part-owner and trainer Rick Hore-Lacy. He was a $90,000 buy from the Swettenham draft at the 2010 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale and has now earned $440,000.

“What a gutsy horse,” Hore-Lacy beamed. “The other one had him beaten all the way down the straight and he still won.

“Craig said he felt really good – hopefully we’ve got him right. He’s high-class and I’ve nommed him for the Australia Cup and the Doncaster.”

Hore-Lacy trained Dash For Cash to Group 1 victories in the Australian Guineas and Futurity Stakes. And he prepared damsire Redoute’s Choice to Group 1 triumphs in the Blue Diamond and Caulfield Guineas.

Chase The Rainbow is an older half-brother to G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Ms Funovits (Reset). Their dam Illusional is owned by Victorian-based breeder Robert Hance who trades under the North Road Bloodstock banner.

Illusional foaled a filly by Dash For Cash in November and Hance bred her back to Reset.

Swettenham has catalogued four Dash For Cash yearlings for the Melbourne Premier Sale in March including a three-quarter brother to Sydney Group 3 winner Bank Robber (Lot 709) and a three-quarter sister to Adelaide Listed winner Extension Of Time (Lot 735).