The Captain Salutes Again

Stakes' placed on debut, Colonel Warden (4 g Russian Revolution – Moralto, by High Chaparral) continued on his winning way in the $17,000 Majestic Horse Floats Rating 67 1300 metres on 20 August at Cambridge.

As a two-year-old, Colonel Warden produced a very good debut effort for third to stable-mate Discretion Rules (Alabama Express) in the Listed Champagne Stakes over 1200m, before winning twice as a three-year-old, most recently when relishing his first poly-track encounter to score by nearly four lengths on 8 June at Awapuni.

He made a return the course last start, fighting well for third after racing without cover in the Rating 67 1400 metres on 3 August.

Ridden on this occasion by Sam McNab (a4), who reduced the impost from 60kg to 56kg, Colonel Warden secured the trail from barrier three, was sweating on a run turning for home and after shouldering clear, he quickened to prevail narrowly but well.

Covering 1300 metres on the poly-track in 1:17.9, he returned $3.60 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was a beautiful ride by young Sam McNab (18) and I thought he showed experience beyond his years the way he rode him,” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson.

“It’s always great to have a horse winning races for owner Ronald Lau. He’s been a great friend of Te Akau’s for a long, long, time.

“Colonel Warden is continuing to improve with experience, now winning two of his last four starts, and although he’s climbing in the rating’s I think that winning is giving him confidence to be competitive in Rating 75 grade.”

Colonel Warden was purchased for $170,000 by David Ellis CNZM at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Coolmore Stud, and previously became the seventh of what is now all eight winners that he bought at the sale. 

In addition to Colonel Warden, Ellis also purchased Group One winners Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) and Captured By Love (Written), along with stakes' winner and multiple stakes' placed Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard), dual winners The Victress (Zousain) and Legally Binding (Exceedance), stakes' placed winner Unbridled Joy (Snitzel), and May winner Paravane (Merchant Navy).   

It reflects a remarkable strike rate, especially with the level of Group and Stakes' performers.

Sire Russian Revolution was a dual Group One winning sprinter in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m), and the son of Champion Sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) commenced stud duties in 2018 at Newgate Farm.

Leading First & Second Season Sire in Australia, the progeny of Russian Revolution has recorded over 500 wins, including 24 stakes' wins, and whose yearlings have sold to A$1.1 million. 

Colonel Warden is from Moralto, a dual winner over 1600 metres, by a sire, High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), that is proving a revelation in every sense. He made an incredible impact when first shuttling to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand, and did the same in Australia.

High Chaparral was a world-class racehorse, who in turn became a high-class sire, sire of sires, and broodmare sire. 

Grand-dam Morwell, by quality sire Royal Academy, is a half-sister to stakes performers Jolly’s Folly (Bluebird), Justarella Boy (Rory’s Jester), and La Bird (Bluebird), and left seven individual winners of 19 races. 

Colonel Warden carries a cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer and blue-hen mare Special.

Colonel Warden was strapped by Cooper Stumbles.

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz