Gay Kelleway is looking forward to taking aim at Saturday's Brocklesby Stakes, a race in which the trainer has gone close in the past.
The traditional curtain-raiser for the British Flat season at Doncaster kicks off Saturday's seven-race card and Send The Navy features among 22 initial entries at the five-day stage.
All of the juveniles have yet to compete in a race but Kelleway is happy with her U S Navy Flag colt, who has had a recent away day to Kempton Park where he enjoyed a racecourse gallop.
The Exning trainer is keen to keep a lid on expectations, however, stating on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "He wouldn’t be lightning fast but he goes alright and he’s fit.
"He’s done all the right things, he went to Kempton last week and had a little spin around, but it just looks a bit naughty the Brocklesby because if you go and win that, unfortunately, the handicapper will kill you.
“The best thing is to run well and, unfortunately, sell the horse abroad. That’s a possibility but he’d want a bit of rain, he loves the deep ground and it slows the others up a bit – the lightning-fast ones."
Reflecting on past attempts to win the notoriously challenging race for punters, she said: "I had Black Orange who was third in it and then I had a horse many years ago, who Alan Munro rode, who just got beat a short-head in the Brocklesby by one of Jack Berry’s. So I’ve never actually won it, I’ve always knocked on the door.
“But I know every trainer in Newmarket has one for the Brocklesby. Me, personally, I’ll be looking more at Kempton where there’s some big prizes."
Alrazeen represents the yard in Saturday's Virgin Bet Queen's Prize Handicap at Kempton and Kelleway is happy to draw a line through the horse's most recent run when a disappointing sixth when 9/4 favourite at Southwell.
She explained: "There were excuses last time when I probably ran him back a bit too quick and he was a bit free. But he won impressively at Kempton and the second has come out and won. So excuse his last run and the form’s right there. He could be well-in there off a good weight.
"I expect a big run, he likes Kempton and it’s probably his preferred surface, as well as being right-handed. His work has been good. He’s a track winner and I always believe in horses-for-courses."
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