Thorn Park colt Jimmy Choux carved out an important place in New Zealand’s history books with his win in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday.

Jimmy Choux joined a select group of three year-olds to complete the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas – NZ 2000 Guineas double  They include Balmerino (1975), Kingdom Bay (1984), Finnegan Fox (1989), Veandercross (1991), Buzz Lightyear (1999), Darci Brahma (2005) and Tell A Tale (2008).

Jimmy Choux (NZ) was headed by Twilight Savings (Secret Savings) in the straight but rose to the challenge and hit the line a long neck in advance of the late finishing He’s Remarkable (Pentire).

The victory represented a Group 1 first for Hastings trainer John Bary and Windsor Park sire Thorn Park.  “The horse has pulled up really well and is back in his paddock,” said Bary.  “At this stage we are thinking about the Levin Classic (November 26) and then we will head towards the NZ Derby.  

“He’s a real character around the stable,” Bary revealed.  “He’s quite intelligent really.  He toys with other horses on the training track.  He lets them catch up and then says, OK lets go again.”

Jimmy Choux is a homebred for Richard and Liz Wood of Chouxmaani Investments and the Guineas lifted his record to 5 wins and 5 placings from 11 starts and over $677,535 in prizemoney.  

Richard Wood knows what it’s like to race a Group 1 galloper having won at that level with Count Chivas (Lord Ballina).  The tough gelding won a Sydney Cup and South Australian Derby and was also runner-up in a Melbourne Cup (behind Saintly), Mercedes Classic (Octagonal) and Caulfield Cup (Doriemus).

Jimmy Choux’s sire Thorn Park was a G1 winner of the Stradbroke Hcp and he stands at Windsor Park Stud for a fee of $13,500 (+ gst).  His G1 tally includes Jimmy Choux, Te Akau Rose, Te Akau Coup, La Etoile, Centennial Park and Glamorous Girl.

The 2000 Guineas winner is out of Cierzo (Centaine).  She retired a maiden but she is a daughter of LR Gale (Wild Rampage) who was a Listed winner of the Castletown Stakes.