Warnie leaves it late as he pockets Supernova prize
Not for the first time, Warnie has produced the spectacular on the sporting fields of Victoria.
Named by his original Irish connections after the late cricketing great and favourite son of Melbourne, Warnie (Highland Reel) the five-year-old gelding produced a dazzling finish to land Saturday’s second edition of the $1 million Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham.
With a run timed to the second by Thomas Stockdale, Warnie settled second–last from gate seven of 14 as a strong tempo unfolded, and had no horse behind him on straightening.
He had a mountain of work to do as $2.20 favourite Private Eye (Al Maher) took the lead along the rails inside the 200 metres four lengths in front of him, and still had a length to make up at the 50 metres.
But, free-wheeling down the centre of the track, Warnie landed the prize in the last bound as an easy $11 chance, with Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel) 0.57 lengths away in third at $10, following his second in the inaugural Supernova last year.
In so doing he continued a stellar day for Australia’s reigning premier trainer Ciaron Maher, who had three earlier winners on the card in the shape of Godolphin two-year-old debutant Milsons Point (Blue Point), Shockletz (Shocking) and Jenni Gone Bonkers (Maurice).
Bred by Glenanore Stud in County Cork, Warnie debuted under James McDonald at Royal Ascot in 2023, running ninth in the Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f).
He won his next two in Ireland, the latter a Tipperary Listed, before switching to Australia to run for Maher and syndicator Bennett Racing.
Launching with a Flemington 1200-metre win in October last year, he’s been a model of consistency in Australia, with now three wins and five placings – plus three fourths and three fifths – from 15 starts.
Three runs ago he became a Group winner when taking Flemington’s Damien Oliver Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) from Bennett teammate Zou Sensation (Zoustar), who ran fourth in the Supernova, also at $11.
The start after that he was stretched to 1600 metres for the first time in Australia, tiring slightly late after racing on the pace to run a 1.9 length fifth.
After a long campaign dotted with just two short let-ups since May, and reverting to the 1400 metres of the Supernova – in which he filled Maher’s own slot – Warnie scored his largest career payday and pushed his earnings into seven figures, even if the stable was surprised to see him have to come from the back.
“It was an exciting race,” said stable foreman Jack Turnbull. “If you’d have asked the team if we were going to be second–last in running, I’d have said, ‘No way’.
“But they went solid and Tom just took his time, similar to how [Mark] Zahra rode him [in the Damien Oliver], which is new for this horse because he has been keen and hard going. But back in trip slightly, with a lot of speed, it worked out really well.
“He was good at Cranbourne, but we had to change things up. We were mindful of how deep we are into the prep and coming back to the seven [furlongs], so it’s a credit to the team.
“It’s very rewarding. It’s a huge day for the team.”
Stockdale, the 26-year-old also celebrating his largest payday after Warnie’s $450,000 first prize, said he had indeed modelled his ride on Zahra’s at Flemington, where the gelding settled almost as far back in eighth of 11.
“I went back through his replays and just loved how Mark rode him,” Stockdale said. “He was in a nice flowing rhythm, just relaxed conserving energy, and he showed an electric turn of foot off it.
“So I tried to channel my inner Zahra – nice hands, get him to relax, and jeez he let rip in the end.
“When you let rip like that you’re always confident, but when you know the gallopers in front of you, you know they’re not going to lie down easily.
“But gee he’s been trained to the minute. To come back in trip after a tough run over the mile, and to have him so well presented as they did is a great credit to the team.
“It’s the biggest win of my career. I’ve won low level Group races, but they’ve been nowhere near this level of prize–money. So it’s something special.”
Warnie is the fourth and best foal among six for Cumbfree (Footstepsinthesand), who won twice in 12 starts in France, and had her latest foal in 2023.
The gelding is one of only six stakes winners worldwide from 447 runners for Swettenham Stud’s former shuttler Highland Reel (Galileo).