It was just under a year ago on Classic Day 2015 that Sean Tarry’s star galloper French Navy announced his arrival in the big league and it would be very good timing were he to get back on the winning track on Saturday. The son of Count Dubois takes on just eight rivals in the R400 000 Gr2 Colorado King Stakes and is fancied to put his minor recent ‘slump’ behind him.
French Navy – will be too strong
The big gelding’s trainer had an unforgettable 2015 Classic Day at Turffontein – landing the Grade 1 Classic double and saddling two other graded-race winners on the card – and he looks to be a man to keep close to the study notes when working out the permutations on the big day.
Tarry holds a power hand in the standside joint double feature with three runners, including a ready -made pacemaker in the Gr3 Algoa Cup winner, Stonehenge.
French Navy certainly stands out as the established class in the small field and his Gr3 London News Stakes victory at his penultimate was a superb effort and spoke volumes of his love of the track.
He was not quite equal to the effort next time in a Pinnacle Plate when a bit one-paced late and beaten 3,50 lengths by Trading Profit. That was patently not his run and he was not ready to deliver a big run – as he will no doubt be closer to on Saturday.
Stonehenge – likely pacemaker
Tarry support troop Stonehenge is a decent front-runner and will ensure a decent gallop from his 1 draw. His stablemate Whiteline Fever is a mostly unenthusiastic 7yo at this point of the game, and, while he has the class, is probably making up numbers.
Dingaans winner Unparalleled is battling to put a winning effort together but his two placed efforts in February showed that he may be ready to win again – although he has a mountain to climb to beat French Navy at these weights.
He ranged up dangerously and was only beaten a half length in the Hawaii Stakes thriller behind Captain Aldo and may enjoy the extra as a mature 4yo.
Judicial – big effort expected at best
Tyrone Zackey’s consistent placer Judicial ran on like an express train in the Listed Drum Star but in receipt of only a kilo from French Navy, could struggle – despite the form of his penultimate jump.
Killua Castle looks well held by French Navy at best and his recent form suggests that he has little more than the prospect of a quartet back end finish.
Richard Fourie – rides Mac De Lago
The same applies to the disappointing Mac De Lago who is battling for a third career win and will need to up his game – Richard Fourie is an interesting jockey booking.
Easy Lover has not put it together since relocating to Gauteng and he changes yards from Mike Azzie after a host of disappointing efforts.
Forest Fox looks outgunned on these weight terms and his form is just not good enough to suggest he has any hope of getting to French Navy or Unparalleled.
French Navy is the choice to beat Unparalleled and Judicial – a straight line trifecta and a possible Pick 6 anchor.
The Colorado King Stakes is named in honour of the SA bred Colorado King, who was one of the greats of the turf in this country and also competed successfully in the United States.
Colorado King
Conditioned by renowned trainer Syd Laird, Colorado King won ten races in South Africa including the Cape Derby and the Durban July Handicap.
Sold to an American racing partnership led by William R. (Fritz) Hawn, he raced under the Poltex Stable banner in California.
There, under trainer Wally Dunn, Colorado King won six races in 1964 including the Hollywood Gold Cup in which he defeated Native Diver, the American Handicap where he equalled the world record for 1800m and the Sunset Handicap at a mile and five-eighths by seven lengths.
In 1965 he won only once in nine starts before being retired to stud where he sadly met with limited success as a sire.
