From disappointment to dominance as Allan Chau strikes back

We didn’t know it at the time, but a couple of day’s after suffering a big disappointment race result-wise, trainer Allan Chau showed a great deal of foresight when summing up his situation.

“That one went against me. Things turn around. Maybe next time the luck will be with me,” said Chau philosophically.

‘That one’ … the one Chau was referring to, was the steward’s decision to uphold a protest against his runner My Dog Diesel in the last race at the Gold Coast on February 17.

To say that Chau was left dumbfounded at that outcome would be an understatement.

In astonished disbelief, Chau lingered in the steward’s room before asking how he could appeal the decision. He was told that he had no right of appeal on the decision itself as the steward’s ruling was final.

Chau had no option but to put the disappointment behind him, ultimately settling for the old ‘that’s racing’ chestnut explanation … but, he did add that, “maybe next time the luck will be with me,” comment … and look what happened next.

My Dog Diesel not only set the record straight in his next start with a win on March 2, but he also backed up a week later at the Sunshine Coast on March 10 to make it two wins in a row.

The second win came by the barest of margins as My Dog Diesel staved off the faster finishing Change The Deal in a photo-finish which took the judge a long time to sort out.

It was the last race again … and another long wait for Chau before the decision was announced.

This time the luck was with Chau.

In fact, the Chau stable’s ‘luck’ has turned in remarkable fashion since his comment.

Prior to My Dog Diesel’s win on March 2, Chau only had one winner, Gee Bee Ess (in January) in the prevuious three-and-a-half months.

Now … wait for it … Chau’s last four runners have all been winners!

My Dog Diesel’s two wins have been soundly supplemented with the wins of Hayaku, Chau’s sole runner at Grafton on March 7, and Flying Birds, who likewise was Chau’s only representative at Ballina on March 9.

That protest disappointment might only have been a little over three weeks ago, but it has already been left a long way behind, such is the pace at which race meetings pass into the record books.

Chau might have been philosophical when calling out a possible change of luck at the time.

He could have had no idea how good it was going to get!