All For Java to face 12 challengers

AWESOME two-year-old champion All For Java will have a dozen rivals when he takes to the Santa Rosa Park, Arima, track for the Royal Colours Classic. This Java In Flight/Set All offspring showed he had lost none of his lustre from his first season when trotting up in the First Citizens First Classic Trophy race over 1100 metres on New Year’s Day holiday, January 2 this year. The $35,000 bargain gelding out of Shaffique Khan’s stable has won all six of his outings to date in some excellent times and by big margins. Owned by the Mr Pius syndicate headed by Hugh Lee King, All For Java has gone the right way and will be matched against stablemate Greek Princess a comfortable winner last time out, the Jamaican-bred grey filly Diplomacy, who won a lot of admirers with her big victory, Sara’s Music who has played second fiddle to him in three races and Jacobite.

Only yesterday morning All For Java in company with Greek Princess galloped 800 metres in a splendid 47.4 seconds and was full of himself at the end giving jockey Wilmer Galviz a handful to restrain him. When third and final subscriptions closed for the race over 1350 metres on March 11, connections paid $3,500 for the 13 horses left in. Ducking out of the fray were Sing The Blues, Dusk Till Dawn, Straight Drive and Windjammer. Meanwhile, third and final subscriptions have been paid for eight runners for the Arima Race Club Cup Handicap over 1800 metrs also on March 11. And connections paid a hefty $1,800 penalty at the second stage to get newcomer Suave Runner into the Champagne Stakes on April 17 over 1600 metres on the turf.

Here are those in the Royal Colours Classic: ALL FOR JAVA; BLUFF BID; DIPLOMACY; FRESH PROSPECT; GONZAGA; GREEK PRINCESS; JACOBITE; LATE CUT; MAGIC MOMENTS; MILLIONAIRE; MONEY UP FRONT; SARA’S MUSIC; THE NEGOTIATOR.
The ones in the Arima Race Club Cup Handicap: CHIEF COMMANDER; CROWN POINT; LATONIA; PEACE OFFERING; THIS CAT IS BACK; TOP OF THE CLASS; URAM; MILLENIUM REIGN.
And those paying second subs for the Champagne Stakes are: CARIB TIME; CHIEF COMMANDER; CROWN POINT; HONOR BOUND; ICE TIMBER; INVINCIBILITY; MILLENIUM REIGN; OUTSWINGER; PEACE OFFERING; ROYAL MISS; STRAVINSKYS SECRET; THIS CAT IS BACK; TOP OF THE CLASS; URAM; SUAVE PRINCESS.