Winless since his memorable victory in Hong Kong last May, the grey flash roared back to his best with a breath-taking performance to win his third straight T.J. Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick.

In his usual last-to-first style, Chautauqua produced a scintillating burst of speed in the concluding stages to rush past his rivals and down English in the final stride.

"He’s incredible isn’t he? I said to the doubters the whole way along, don’t worry about it, the Hawkes Team train him. They are freaks at what they do," said winning jockey Tommy Berry.

“I came up underneath them as I couldn’t come around them and win. Gee, once he got through he was so good. I’ve just got to thank the Hawkes Team.”

Chautauqua's form is a topic that’s generated significant debate, with suggestions growing his best days were beyond him.

Even the Hawkes stable questioned whether 1200m was now too short, chancing their arm by running in the George Ryder Stakes at 1500m last start with an eye towards a potential run in the Doncaster Mile.

But they learnt from the George Ryder experiment and returned him to his favourite distance and favourite track.

“There is a pretty special bloke sitting at home on the couch. That was more about him than what you would actually know," said co-trainer Wayne Hawkes.

“It was big. He (John) said to Michael stay near the fence, stay near the fence, cut up the inside, don’t come to the outside. That was the difference between him winning and losing. Goes alright that bloke on the couch.”

"The horse has been fantastic. He was cool as a cucumber. He’s a rock star and owns the 1200m at Randwick.”

"I was one who pushed hard to run him against Winx. She was just too good on the day. 1500m is not his go. That bloke on the couch yet again gets it right too often.” 

Racing.com