Chatterton hopeful of a city breakthrough with Autunno

By Glenn Davis

Beaudesert horsewoman Ruby Chatterton will continue a search for her maiden city breakthrough when consistent five-year-old Autunno heads to Doomben on Wednesday.

Chatterton has only had a handful of starters on metropolitan tracks and is yet to lead one into the winner’s stall.

Autunno tackles the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 2030 metres.

A son of The Autumn Sun, Autunno will be chasing his fifth career win at his 40th start.

Chatterton has been training for just over a year after cutting her teeth in the racing game working as a foreman and riding trackwork for stables such as Chris Waller and Lawrie Mayfield-Smith.

As well as Waller and Mayfield-Smith, Chatterton soaked up experience working and riding trackwork for Chris Anderson and Les Ross while also doing a 12-month stint with trainer Michael Lane at Bunbury in Western Australia.

“I started working as a stablehand when I was 16 for Lawrie and then I got my trackwork licence,” Chatterton said.

“At one stage, I thought about becoming an apprentice jockey, but it was not for me.

“I worked for all those trainers because I just wanted to absorb as much as I could before getting into training.”

Chatterton, who also has a background in equestrian, is hopeful of a strong showing from Autunno who was a $340,000 yearling buy before being snapped up online by Chatterton for a paltry $7,500.

Autunno will be ridden by jockey Ashvin Goindasamy who has been his rider at his past four starts.

Autunno is coming off a last start third to the Corey and Kylie Geran-trained Let Fly in a 2200 metre Benchmark race at the Gold Coast on November 8.

“He’s not a big horse but he’s got a long stride and is very athletic,” Chatterton said.

“He can be a hard horse to ride but Ashvin seems to have clicked with him.

“Ashvin comes from Mauritius and has ridden in Group 1 races in New Zealand, but he hasn’t been getting many opportunities here.

“I think he’ll go close to winning on Wednesday.”