Progressive sprinter Navigator produced one of the standout performances of the meeting at Hastings on Saturday, continuing his formidable fresh-up record in the Vet Services Equine Hawke’s Bay Premier (1200m).

Navigator has been carefully placed throughout his light racing career by trainer Cody Cole and his record is a reflection of this, with the five-year-old never finishing further back then fourth in nine previous starts.

Cole targeted the final meeting at the Hawke’s Bay carnival last year with the five-year-old and was duly rewarded with a lucrative Rating 65 success over the same distance, and a plan to enter the opening day this season with no trials under his belt was executed to the letter.

Combining with Ryan Elliot, Navigator showed strong gate speed and utilised this when settling three-back on the fence, with speedy mare Merchant Queen circling the field to take up the pace making role.

Travelling powerfully into the home bend, Elliot eased the big-striding gelding off the rail and he bounded to the lead at the 250m, and his rivals were no match as he eased to the line by 1 ¾ lengths. Acquarello made a lovely return flashing into second, with Merchant Queen hanging on gamely for third.  

Matamata-based Cole was thrilled to see the son of El Roca firing on all cylinders as he enters another campaign.

“He’s a good horse fresh, we didn’t trial him with the heavy tracks around and although he can cop a heavy surface, I didn’t think we needed too,” he said.

“We took him to Taupo for an outing, the Taupo Racing Club are very accommodating letting us do that, and he worked super down there last week.

“We couldn’t have been any happier with him leading into this race, he’s got a bright future and he’s probably pretty untapped too.

“He’s been loafing around and waiting for them half his life, but the penny is starting to drop now.”

Navigator has made a habit of picking up Premier victories on the undercard with his most-recent success coming at Trentham on Manawatu Sires’ Day, but Cole indicated he will get his opportunity in the spotlight come October 12 back at the Bay.

“We targeted the Spring Sprint (Gr.3, 1400m) after his win at Wellington so we worked back from there. We wanted to kick off on the first day and then come back on the last day over 1400,” he said.

“He travelled a bit fiercely today so we may reassess that, but I think second-up it may take that freshness out of him.

“He’ll get in at a nice light weight so it would be a nice option for him going forward.

“Beyond that, I think with the blinkers off, he’d definitely run a mile, but we put them on to get him on the job because when he won here fresh last year, he was looking at everything and waiting for everyone and you can’t win good races like that.

“He’s figuring the game out and the mile is not beyond him, but he’s going to tell us where he wants to go through the season.”

Bred by part-owner Marriott Thoroughbreds, Navigator was purchased by Cole for $110,000 out of Westbury Stud’s draft at the 2021 Karaka Yearling Sales, and has won four of his ten starts and over $150,000 in stakes.

He was the final foal out of three-win Stravinsky mare Joiya, who has produced a number of talented progeny including Group One placegetters Bella Mente and Bella Gioia, Listed winner Niki Piki Milo and Listed performer The Dom.

Cole was also pleased with the efforts of his three-year-old filly Renovations, who closed well into fourth in a competitive Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), taken out by Alabama Lass.

“I was really happy with her, she missed the run at Taupo where she was meant to kick off and it’s been a long time since she trialled,” he said.

“She’ll improve a lot from that, she probably just struggled to quicken with them but her work through the line was encouraging and I think 1400-1600 is more suited to her now she is a three-year-old.

“The way she raced today, I think that would be her go if she can put herself on-speed over 1400, and I think we will see a better version of her again.”