Lightly-raced 4yo COLUMBIA BLUE was a comfortable winner on his seasonal return at Wyong’s Wednesday meeting.
Always interesting to see how a horse measures up in open age company and despite doing a few things wrong in the run home, COLUMBIA BLUE still proved too good for his Class 1 opposition, winning by half a length under the urgings of apprentice jockey Mitch Stapleford.
Stapleford had to keep COLUMBIA BLUE on the straight and narrow in the home straight as the gelding was inclined to lay in.
“He had his head cocked a bit in the straight and wanted to have a good look around,” Stapleford said.
“It felt like he wasn’t fully letting go which is pretty exciting because I think he still had a couple of lengths up his sleeve.”
In winning the 1100m event, the YES YES YES gelding answered a couple of pertinent questions for trainer Joe Pride. The first being that he can perform beyond 1000m and the other, that he is not just a wet tracker.
Displaying another string to COLUMBIA BLUE’s bow was his ability to win from a settling position of worse than midfield, in stark contrast to his only previous win when he led throughout at Hawkesbury in May.
Now with two wins and two seconds from only four career outings, COLUMBIA BLUE’s versatility no doubt has him well placed to add to his burgeoning record.
He is a half brother to recent 2yo Saturday metropolitan winner SEEIAYE and was purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds for $150,000 from Bell River’s draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Proven’s tally of winners for season 2025-26 is now up to 13 with a host of chances coming up this weekend.
