Rick Hore-Lacy trained Dash For Cash to a G1 victory in the 2002 Australian Guineas and they will be a formidable combination leading into this year’s classics with Chase The Rainbow.

The sky’s the limit for Chase The Rainbow after his stunning victory in the G2 Bill Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

“He’s very promising horse,” Hore-Lacy said after the grey came from last to win running away over 1600m.  “We will go into the Caulfield Guineas, then come back here for the AAMI Vase before going on to the Victoria Derby.”

Chase The Rainbow (3c Dash For Cash – Illusional by Redoute’s Choice) was a $90,000 graduate from the Swettenham Stud draft at the 2010 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale.  

Following two wins at Geelong in August, Chase The Rainbow came to town for an eye-catching second to Specter in the LR Henry Bucks Stakes at Flemington on September 3.

He started a short-priced favourite in the Stutt Stakes and Hore-Lacy wasn’t concerned when Dean Yendall settled the colt at the tail of the field.  “It was tempting to ride him closer given the on-pace pattern.  But I told the stewards we wouldn’t change his racing style.”

Yendall was just as impressed after dismounting on Friday night.  “Chase The Rainbow is best horse I’ve ever sat on.  Hopefully he takes me places.”

Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) has been a reliable source of winners since retiring to Swettenham after a career that saw him win a G1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield in addition to the Australian Guineas.

He has sired 186 individual winners of 478 races at a healthy 60% strike-rate and that makes him one of Victoria’s best value stallions at an $8,500 (inc gst) service fee.

The Stutt Stakes winner was bred by North Road Bloodstock and his dam Illusional is a winning half-sister to G2 MVRC Crystal Mile winner Sonic Quest (Quest for Fame).

Illusional is by Champion Australian sire Redoute’s Choice who was trained by Hore-Lacy before retiring to Arrowfield Stud.  Among his Group 1 triumphs was a memorable victory over Testa Rossa in a breed-shaping edition of the 1999 Caulfield Guineas.

Chase The Rainbow has firmed into a $6.50 third favourite for this year’s Caulfield Guineas behind Helmet ($2.80) and Smart Missile ($3.40).