CHAUTAUQUA: GREY FLASH IN A SPLASH
CHAMPION sprinter Chautauqua, trained by Team Hawkes, is a star graduate of Booralite Park and often returned "home" for a few weeks of pre-training or a bit of R&R.
The multiple Group 1 winning gelding amassed nearly $9 million in prizemoney before retiring in 2018.
The grey flash loved a swim and a splash at Coronet Bay, just 20 minutes from Booralite Park at Pakenham South.
Julien Welsh and his team of riders are regular visitors to the quiet village where a big section of beach is set aside for equine pursuits, plus for the public to have a dip.
It's a great to watch horses swimming.
As well as the obvious physical benefits of swimming and working along the beach, Welsh believes it is important to offer horses different activities to keep them fresh and thinking.
Many trainers send their horses to Booralite Park for pre-training where they generally come out straight out of the spelling paddock and are gradually brought up to a fitness level specified by the trainer.
The pre-trainers - many are race winners back for another campaign - are given a mix of fitness work which usually comprises exercising on the treadmill, sand track or are taken through their paces on
the enclosed arena at Booralite Park.
The breakers and pre-trainers are also transported to the nearby Cranbourne Training Complex where they are again given a variety of fitness activities which includes work on the spacious training tracks, the outside hill track and doing a lap or two of the horse swimming pool.
They're doing more than laps of the track to keep them alert and happy.
Welsh said it is important to provide the horses with a variety of fitness activities.
Special requests from trainers are met as they might favour different aspects or levels of fitness work.
CHAUTAUQUA: 32 starts, 13 wins, 7 seconds, 4 thirds
Prizemoney: $8,821,935 TRAINERS: M, W & J Hawkes