The Chautauqua Story - by Edwina Throsby
The Chautauqua story is all about three things, my late Father David Throsby, a mare called Lovely Jubly and a stallion called Encosta de Lago, owned and raced by David’s Brother, Joe Throsby.
Lovely Jubly was purchased as a yearling at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast for A$36,000. She was a terrific race horse who went on to win the 2Yo Magic Millions race, two G1’s, earning A$1.4m. My father loved the mare he always knew she was good and how proud he would be now if he could see the grey flash, Chautauqua running around, to think he bred the fastest horse in the World, is a tremendous achievement from a A$36,000 purchase, but that’s what he was best at backing his judgement.
Aside from Chautauqua, Lovely Jubly has had 11 foals, of which 6 have sadly passed away – as they say ‘that’s bad luck’, the highs and lows of racing.
“Chautauqua has been a godsend,” Throsby said, “he’s such an outstanding horse and, of course, his performances have significantly enhanced the value of the fillies we have out of Lovely Jubly and lets hope she’s not finished producing the next Chautauqua!
All of this is, of course, vital to any breeder trying to run a commercial operation but there is more to it than just the bottom line for the woman whose family remains in the very successful cattle and meat business developed by her late father.
“I love it. I’m at home on the property (in Maitland). I raise them, nurture them and see them race and I find it hard to part with them when they got to the sales but the reality is we breed to race and sell,” she said.
Chautauqua is essentially the product of the purchase of a nomination to Encosta De Lago which was donated to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal in 2009.
That nomination was then used to mate the late David Throsby’s mare Lovely Jubly - a Magic Millions, QTC Sires Produce and T.J. Smith winner at two - with the stallion who’d been part-raced by his brother Joe. The result was the September 2010 foal to be named Chautauqua.
To have a live chance in a race like the Everest is a great thrill and was delighted with our good friend, Greg Ingham (GPI Racing) purchased the slot. As we know the Ingham family is legendary in the Racing industry and I think too, Greg’s late father Jack Ingham would be very excited for Greg that he has a great opportunity with a horse that he part owns to win the first Everest race. As we know in racing we still have to get there and Saturday’s race, the shorts will be the first step.
Note - Edwina Throsby is the daughter of legendary Australian racing man the late David Throsby