Cody Cole is eyeing up a Group One assignment in January for emerging sprinter Navigator, who will contest the Financial Services (1300m) at Tauranga on Saturday.
Cole is working backwards from the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on January 4. Navigator was a winner of his only previous start at the Wellington course, taking out a Rating 75 over the Telegraph distance on April 6.
"This race on Saturday is really just a run to shorten the gap leading into the Telegraph," Cole said. "He'll go into the paddock for a couple of weeks after this race.
"He runs his best races fresh, so our plan is to head into the Telegraph in that state. We know he handles the Trentham chute, and he's proven that he's up to the level of some of the best sprinters from last season, so there's no reason not to have a go."
Navigator established those big-race credentials with his last-start second placing in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Rotorua on October 13. He finished two and three-quarter lengths behind Luberon, while the third, fourth and fifth placegetters were all Group One-winning sprinters last season – Waitak in the Railway (1200m), Mercurial in the Telegraph (1200m) and Bonny Lass in the BCD Group Sprint (1400m).
"He ran a great race in the Sweynesse," Cole said. "Weight-for-age may not have been the best placement for him, but I just thought it might be a better option than the 1400m handicap at Te Rapa the day before.
"I was very happy with his performance, and he's been super ever since. He's flying and I can't fault him at all. He's really improved this season. He was probably still a bit immature before, but now he's doing everything a lot better than he ever has previously."
Navigator drops sharply in weight on Saturday and will carry just 54kg in a field headed by dual Group One winner La Crique. Navigator will be ridden by Michael McNab, who is making a welcome return to riding ranks from injury.
"Having La Crique in that line-up means we get in quite nicely at the weights," Cole said. "It's a good drop from the 59kg he had to carry under the weight-for-age conditions at Rotorua."
The TAB rates Navigator a $4.20 chance for Saturday's race, sharing second favouritism with Wild Night. La Crique holds favouritism at $4.
Further down the track, Navigator is rated a $21 chance in a Telegraph market that is headed by Crocetti ($4), Grail Seeker ($6) and Australian raider Uncommon James ($6).
Cole paid $110,000 at Karaka 2021 to buy Navigator, whose 11-start career has so far produced four wins, four placings and $168,540 in stakes.
Navigator headlines a five-horse contingent at Tauranga on Saturday for Cole, who also has debut fourth placegetter Bradley in the Armory Standing at Mapperley Stud 3YO (1200m), last-start second placegetter Four Square Pete in the Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge & Tauranga Maiden (1600m), and promising mares Scouser and Mesa Verde later in the card.
Scouser and Mesa Verde filled the quinella when they kicked off their new preparations in a 1215m Rating 65 at Rotorua on October 13. Scouser beat Mesa Verde by a long head, with the rest of the field more than two lengths adrift of the first pair.
Scouser will step up into Rating 75 company for Saturday's Tauranga Crossing (1200m), while Mesa Verde looks well placed in the New World (1300m).
"They ran good races first-up and they both seem to have come through it well," Cole said. "They've both drawn nice gates this weekend. Mesa Verde has won at Tauranga previously.
"Scouser 's performances in her last couple of runs as a three-year-old last season are probably not a fair reflection of her ability. She just had a couple of niggles that were affecting her, but she's over those now and is in really good order."
