NZB Ready to Run Graduate Warmonger Primed for Caulfield Cup

Media Release - Wednesday October 16

New Zealand-bred galloper Warmonger will take his place among some of Australia’s elite stayers in Saturday’s A$5 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in Melbourne.

The Caulfield Cup has been a happy hunting ground for the Kiwis, with wonder mare Verry Elleegant and the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Mongolian Khan succeeding in the iconic race in recent times.

Warmonger won the G1 Queensland Derby by daylight - image Grant Courtney

Warmonger, a son of Inglewood Stud sire War Decree, was privately sold to Australian syndicators OTI Racing following a trial victory at Ashburton in April 2023 for initial trainers Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong, who bought him from the NZB Ready to Run Sale for $165,000. In the care of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, he has risen to Group One stardom, with a stunning 10-length demolition in the A$1 million Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) in June.

The Caulfield Cup was earmarked by the Cranbourne training partners this campaign and the four-year-old was an early favourite for the race following an impressive first-up fourth in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) behind Mr Brightside, Pride Of Jenni and Antino.

However, an 11th place finish in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) a fortnight ago has Warmonger sitting among the middle-market at $15, but his jockey, expat Kiwi Michael Dee, has faith the gelding can rise to the occasion after appearing for an exhibition gallop on Tuesday morning.

“He definitely just put in a flat performance second-up and he seems extremely well within himself, that (would indicate) he can bounce back third-up,” Dee told Racing.com.

“Not so much in his work, but just around the parade ring he was up and about, he was bouncing out of his skin.

“Any horse that goes by themselves on the outside fence at Caulfield, with so much to look at, you can’t read too much into them not smashing the clock here. He had his ears pricked, he felt good, so I’m happy with how we got around.

Advertisement

“He definitely prefers to get his toe in, so a little bit of rain on Thursday and Friday certainly will help his chances.

“I just keep going back to that first-up run where he was very good finishing off, so if he can bounce back to something like that, he’s going to be finishing off very strongly in a Caulfield Cup.”

Since Tuesday’s gallop where Dee discussed where the pair may find themselves in the running, Warmonger has drawn barrier 16 of 21 for the race, with the three emergencies all to his inside.

“I’d probably prefer to find the fence more than anything, you can get your horse relaxed and, in a rhythm, and then work out the second half from there,” Dee said.

“If we’ve got a draw where that won’t happen, we’ll work that out. They’ll be going pretty quick I would imagine and I wouldn’t think they’ll be slowing up too much.

“Ideally it’ll be a genuine tempo the whole way, so if we were to draw wide and they were running along, we could risk it a little bit and try to slot in somewhere a bit closer. It’s all something to work out when the barrier draw and the field comes out.”

Other Kiwi interest will come with multiple Group Three winner Positivity, a mare by Almanzor who gained automatic entry into the race when winning the Gr.3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) last month for trainer Andrew Forsman. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Pelzter added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
Breathtaking Performance from Warmonger in Queensland Derby
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.