Super fit Pack Plays for Chairman’s Trophy

CALIFORNIA CROWN has no chance of winning Saturday's Chairman's Trophy. Yet, the speedster's role, a pace-setting rabbit for stablemates INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, GIRVANO and PROVIDENT, will determine the winner of the event.

The bullseye will be on PACK PLAYS' back at seven and a half furlongs after the American's victory at six and a half furlongs in the Eileen Cliggott Memorial on January 31, beating INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD and GIRVANO into fourth and fifth places, respectively.

Fitted with blinkers, PACK PLAYS ran away from OF A REVOLUTION and DIGITAL ONE in the straight, virtually making all with no matching speed on the lead. Jason DaCosta's GIRVANO and INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD raced as a team throughout, a length separating them at the wire.

CALIFORNIA CROWN, heavily raced at the back end of last season, the Port Royal Sprint, afterwards winning an overnight allowance, followed by the Bruceontheloose and Chris Armond Sprint, both in December, was enjoying stall time while INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD and GIRVANO were being put to the torch by PACK PLAYS in the Eileen Cliggott.

Summoned by DaCosta for the Chairman's Trophy, CALIFORNIA CROWN's sole role will be to unsettle PACK PLAYS for as long as it takes, giving GIRVANO, as well as lightweight stablemates INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD and PROVIDENT, a collapsing pace to charge at in the stretch run.

Anthony Nunes' BARNABY will also be around, should there be a pile-up in the stretch run. BARNABY returned off a five-month lay-up two Sundays past to reel in stablemate NEO STAR at a mile, clocking 1:39.2 after sauntering along the rail for most of the race.

A seventh-place finisher in the 2024 Mouttet Mile, BARNABY twice floored two-time Horse of the Year ATOMICA last season, including the Chairman's Trophy which he won in 1:31.2, before flopping as a 4-5 favourite for the Distinctly Irish won by GIRVANO at nine furlongs and 25 yards.

BARNABY, who was out for four months before that loss, disappeared for another five months before easily winning the Lindy Delapenha Memorial two weeks ago, suggesting he might not have been at his best when losing to GIRVANO in the Distinctly Irish.

Prepping for his recent win, BARNABY had galloped 1:13.0 for six furlongs out the mile chute, sending a back-to-form signal, followed by his easy victory, making him equally as potent as any of DaCosta's closers.

However, PACK PLAYS is not to be underestimated, having twice placed sixth in the Mouttet Mile, including Kevin Krigger ridiculously going overweight at 128lb in 2024. PACK PLAYS took on LEGACY ISLE in the last Mouttet Mile and stayed third to the last half-furlong after winner RIDEALLDAY went by early in the stretch run.

Rowan R Mathie and Christopher Mamdeen combined to defy the handicaps with WALL STREET TRADER in the midweek Ash Wednesday Trophy, stalking DON KWESI into the lane. PACK PLAYS would not at all surprise, should Mamdeen keep his cool, only going after CALIFORNIA CROWN when necessary.