Jimmy Choux (foaled 10 October 2007) is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. On 5 March 2011, he won the 136th running of the

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

. In doing so, he became the first horse since

Surfers Paradise Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...

in 1990 to win both the

New Zealand 2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...

and the New Zealand Derby.

Racing career

A Group 2 winner and twice Group 1 placed as a two-year-old, Jimmy Choux's 2010–2011 season was among the most successful by a New Zealand three-year-old in recent history. As well as capturing the country's two biggest three-year-old races, the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, Jimmy Choux easily won the Hawke's Bay Guineas, Great Northern Guineas, Wellington Stakes and Waikato Guineas. Some cast doubts over the prospects of Jimmy Choux in the Derby because his pedigree suggested that 2400m should be well beyond his capabilities. There was little evidence in his pedigree that Jimmy Choux would be able to run any further than a mile. But he proved his stamina, to win the Derby by two lengths. After his NZ Derby win, Jimmy Choux traveled to Australia. His first start there resulted in a Group One victory in the

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

, confirming his status as one of Australasia's best three-year-olds. He started a short-priced favourite in the AJC Australian Derby but finished sixth in his final races as a three-year-old. He was awarded New Zealand Horse of the Year for the 2010/11 season. Jimmy Choux resumed as a four-year-old, on 27 August 2011, with a second placing in the Challenge Stakes at Hastings. He then won the

Windsor Park Plate The Arrowfield Stud Plate is a New Zealand Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay. The race is registered as the Horlicks Plate and has been previously known as: * the Windsor Park Plate. In 2022 the race sponsor and na ...

and the

Spring Classic The Livamol Classic is a Weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of 2040m. The race is run in October. The weather in the Haw ...

, his fourth and fifth Group 1 wins, confirming his status as one of the favourites for the

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...

. Jimmy Choux started second favourite in the 2011 Cox Plate. He sat just off the pace and gained a clear lead around the final turn, before being run down late by Pinker Pinker to finish second. He then ran fourth as topweight in the

Emirates Stakes The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the ''Cantala Stakes'', is a Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day during the Me ...

, before closing his campaign with a sixth placing in the

Hong Kong Mile The Hong Kong Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December. ...

. Jimmy Choux resumed racing in April 2012 in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie, where he finished a creditable seventh under 61 kg. However, he was well-beaten at his next start in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, and was subsequently retired from racing.

Stud record

Jimmy Choux was retired to Rich Hill Stud in Matamata, where he stood for a service fee of $10,000. In 2019 Jimmy Choux was sold to Rosalee Park Stud in

Serpentine, Western Australia Serpentine is a town located south-southeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and 7 km south of Mundijong. Serpentine is located on the South Western Railway between Perth and Bunbury, and was one of the original stations when t ...

Notable progeny

''c =

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

'', g =

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

References

{{reflist 2007 racehorse births Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in New Zealand Thoroughbred family 16-g Matamata

Racing career

Stud record

Notable progeny

See also

References