WA RAIDER REYKJAVIK CLAIMS CHATHAM STAKES

Reykjavik has continued the remarkable winning run for WA raiders at interstate carnivals this spring.

The Lindsey Smith-trained galloper won the G3 Chatham Stakes (1400m) for Balmoral Park Stud owner Neil Irvine and breeder James Ch’ng on Saturday.  It was his second black-type victory at Flemington following the Winter Championship Final (1600m) in July.

Reykjavik followed the speed set by Streets Of Avalon before easing out to take the lead inside the 300m to hold the challenge of Admiral’s Joker (Bel Esprit).  “I thought he might have been a gallop short but he worked well at Warrnambool on Tuesday,” Smith said.  “He looked good in the yard and Dean (Yendall) made the most of the inside barrier.”

Still a stallion, he will return home for the Railway Stakes (1600m) and Kingstown Town Classic (1800m) as part of the TABtouch Masters at Ascot.  The Chatham sent his earnings past $600,000 and a Group 1 will improve his value as a stud prospect.

Reykjavik (Artie Schiller) is from Gibraltar Storm (Rock Of Gibraltar) who is a half-sister to NSW & Victorian stakes performer Storm Burst.  Second-dam Storm Fille (Thunder Gulch) was placed in the 2002 WA Derby & WA Oaks.

He joins Black Heart Bart (G1 Underwood Stakes) and Gatting (G1 Makybe Diva Stakes) on Melbourne’s spring roll-call while Come Play With Me (G1 Metropolitan) and Arcadia Queen (G2 Theo Marks Quality) were successful in Sydney.