With a win in the Listed VRC TAB Trophy last spring and last start runner-up in the Group 1 South Australian Derby, Warmonger presented as a promising young stayer, but nothing could prepare for his virtuoso performance in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Ladbrokes Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
With Blake Shinn in the saddle for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Warmonger had the unenviable job of chasing the tearaway leader Naval King. Hitting the lead nearly 400m out, Warmonger kept up a relentless gallop in the testing conditions, drawing clear of the chasing pack. When the judge invoked the mercy rule, the son of War Decree (USA) had ten and a half lengths to spare over the Kiwi visitor Moonlight Magic (Almanzor), with the local hope Felix The Scat (Mendelssohn) a further two and three-quarter lengths back in third.
“He’s just flying, credit to the whole team,” Kent Jnr said.
“The horse took the travel well to Queensland. The query was getting through the wet track. Blake (Shinn) said it was more like a heavy than a soft.
“During the race I’m thinking what are you thinking here Blake, but he just made all the right calls. By putting him into the race and when that leader got away you had to be near the pace. In the end it was just a huge staying performance by the horse.”
“He obviously handled the ground very well, he’s a kiwi so he was born in it, but he clearly relished the stamina test today.”
Blake Shinn was in awe of the winner, who he said did not have all the breaks.
“What a great run by that horse. He did it the tough way but he was comfortable. I just wanted to make sure he kept going on his run,” Shinn said.
“It was a bit of a track gallop for him. He enjoyed it. He had his ears pricked down the back. I asked him to extend from the 500 (metre mark) and he just kept building. I made sure he kept going to the line, but the horse really deserved it.
“He’s been putting up some great displays in running second and it was really well deserved. I’m grateful for the ride.
“The inside is really cutting up. The barrier played in our hands. I was happy to bring wide as he was in fresh ground and he just enjoyed it.”
Bred by Kevin Hickman, Warmonger was a $75,000 pinhook for Prima Park / Bevan Bloodstock from the Valachi Downs draft at the 2022 NZB Karaka Book 2 Yearling Sale.
Consigned by Prima Park to the 2022 Ready To Run Sale, Warmonger was a $165,000 purchase for Riccarton trainer Shane Kennedy, who had prepared his Almanzor half-sister Blue Solitaire to finish third behind Legarto in last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
OTI Racing purchased the son of War Decree on the strength of a dominant 800m trial victory at Ashburton.
Warmonger is the second winner from as many to race for the winning Savabeel mare Princess Sapphire.
A half-sister to the Listed winner and multiple Group II placed Merion (O’Reilly), Princess Sapphire is a daughter of stakes-winner Sapphire Belle (Danske), whose dam Sapphire Flight (Noble Bijou) is a sister to 4-time Group 1 winner Alibhai.
Princess Sapphire had one more foal before her death, the two-year-old US Navy Flag (USA) filly Princess Solitaire.
Warmonger is the first Group 1 winner for War Front’s Group II Vintage Stakes winner War Decree (USA), who stands at Inglewood Stud for $7,000.
