Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh went one better in the first three-year-old stakes race of the season when race favourite Perfect Chaos chose the ideal time to shed her maiden status with a comprehensive victory in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).
Marsh runners Churmatt and Swiss Prince had finished in the minor placings in the 2025 edition of the race, however, this year he upped the ante with Perfect Chaos, a daughter of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain, who started the $3.60 punters elect.
Rider George Rooke had her away nicely to sit outside pacemaker Startles in the early running and approaching the home bend it was evident she was going to take a lot of beating as she travelled under a strong hold with plenty of petrol in the tank.
Rooke asked her to do her best at the 300m, and she bounded to the lead before holding out the late closing O’Baby and Singletary, with Honorable defying the front-running bias on the day as she powered home from last to grab fourth.
Stable representative Dylan Johnson was delighted to see Perfect Chaos find the winners’ enclosure after finishing in the minor placings in all four of her starts as a two-year-old.
“It was a top ride as we wanted to be positive early and take any bad luck out of it,” Johnson said. “She travelled beautifully throughout, although she was a bit of a sitting duck after doing that early work.
“Her form at two was impeccable and she is a filly we didn’t pay a hell of a lot of money for.
“She is by Hello Youmzain and he is starting to kick a few goals, while she is well bred on her dam side.
“To get valuable black-type in the spring of your three-year-old season is outstanding.”
Johnson believes the filly has the potential to go to a higher level later in the spring.
“She travelled down here beautifully, and physically she has continued to mature and is a lovely horse to do anything with,” he said.
“She is nominated for the Guineas (Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, 1600m) so we would like to get her out to 1400m in time, but we have the runs on the board now and we can plot our way through to Christchurch.”
Rooke was suitably impressed with the effort after having some concerns about his mount handling the Heavy10 track surface.
“She looked fantastic, although she had only the one trial so I thought fresh-up on heavy ground could be a problem,” he said.
“She jumped and put herself there with natural speed and we got a breather, and I thought if she got through the ground she was going to be hard to beat, which she was.
“She was in great nick and ready to go today.”
Perfect Chaos is the second foal out of Darci Brahma mare Kali, who won the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) during a restricted racing career, and was purchased by Marsh and Johnson for $50,000 out of the Oaks Stud draft during the Book 1 Sale at Karaka in 2025.
She comes from an extended family that includes Gr.1 Western Australia Derby (2400m) winner Markus Maximus. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
