A second Kiwi Everest contender?
For the second week in succession the bloodstock industry’s eyes and ears were focussed on Eagle Farm, which staged nine races, all of which qualified as black-type races, headed by the state’s pride and joy, the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m). Similar to the previous week, the New Zealand Stud Book provided the winner of the feature, although War Machine (Harry Angel) was conceived in Australia.
Buyers had two chances to own War Machine. He first appeared in Ardsley Stud’s draft at Karaka at the 2022 NZB Karaka Yearlings Sale only to be passed in, his reserve $100,000, the same reserve that was placed on him at the 2022 NZB Ready To Run Sale, where he breezed his last 200 metres in 10.48 seconds.
Unperturbed, Ardsley’s Jim Wallace waited until May of 2023 and took the two-year-old to the Foxton trials, where War Machine (unnamed at that point) could not have been more impressive, coming away to score by six lengths. Six weeks later War Machine was in Victoria.
Placed at Geelong on debut at three, he then ran down the track at Sandown before being put aside for six months but returned in the autumn to reel off three wins in succession, culminating with the Bendigo Guineas (Listed, 1400m), scoring with something in hand.
Four starts last spring brought a third in the Silver Eagle (1300m), eighth in the Golden Eagle (1500m) and an ambitious Group 1 attempt in the Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
This autumn began with a nose defeat in Mornington’s Hareeba Stakes (Listed, 1400m) followed by an authoritative win at Caulfield and an impressive lead up to the Stradbroke, in the BRC Sprint (Gr 3, 1350m) at Doomben.
Punters were on the money as War Machine opened a warm favourite for the $3 million event and although caught wide, he did have cover. Rider Tim Clark felt he may have gone a little early, but at the line they had three-quarters of a length to spare, while the time was a quick 1:21.17.
His record stands at six wins from 13 starts and earnings of $2,480,000 and there is a fair chance that the Wallace family have accounted for their $100,000 reserve as they have retained a share.
War Machine’s dam is an experienced trans-Tasman traveller. Caserta (Hussonet) was an Arrowfield Stud yearling who faced the starter just four times for a maiden win at Tamworth and had her first foal in 2014, a filly by Starcraft (Soviet Star) named Cheeky Star, the first of five winners from five to race.
Casterta was purchased for Ardsley the following year and dropped a Shamus Award (Snitzel) filly at the stud in 2015. Named Stolen Away, she won twice. In 2019, Caserta was sent to Harry Angel (Dark Angel), producing War Machine then had three more foals by Per Incanto (Street Cry), Darci Brahma (Danehill) and Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact), the last of the three foaled in Australia in 2023 as Caserta had a date with In The Congo (Snitzel) which brought a filly in 2024.
Caserta’s half-sister is Coongy Handicap (Gr 3, 2000m) winner Fire In The Night (Danewin) and another half-sister, Absolute Lure (Lure), is the dam of Hooked (Casino Prince), whose six wins included two Group 2 and two Group 3 victories plus a third in the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
The family is largely American, yet there is a New Zealand connection. Caserta’s fourth dam, Quillobelle (Princequillo), is a half-sister to the top class stayer Beau Diable (Devil Diver) who stood at Ra Ora Stud during the early 1960s.
Meanwhile, War Machine’s sire Harry Angel (Dark Angel) can do no wrong. The stallion, whose oldest southern hemisphere foals are four-year-olds, has made a tremendous advance among the sire ranks.
With just two crops racing he finished 54th on the 2024 Australian sire premiership but with about six weeks remaining of the present season has leapt all the way to seventh, with earnings of $14.66 million.
Looking ahead to The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m), there is a good chance that Harry Angel could be represented by at least two runners.
The unbeaten Private Harry is almost certain to be a starter and after his Stradbroke win, War Machine wouldn’t look out of place either, a second New Zealand contender, behind Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress).
Return to the scene
Kovalica (Ocean Park) took two years to return to the winner’s circle but his win was not unexpected as he has been somewhat honest, has kept adding to the till and has raced against top competition since his biggest win in the 2023 Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
A rich $1.2 million Q22 (Gr 2, 2200m) drew a smallish field and Kovalica gave them all a start until the 600-metre mark, where he travelled widest. Into the straight he challenged, had three to beat at the 300 mark and two to beat at the 200, but he was never in front until the line itself, his head down at exactly the right moment to get the nose decision.
This was win seven at start 30, which took his bank to $3.49 million compared with an outlay of $110,000 at the 2021 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales.
The world looked to be at his feet as his nine starts as a three-year-old brought six wins and as a spring four-year-old, Kovalica was pipped by Rediener (Redoute’s Choice) in the Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m).
However, the wins came to a halt all while the bank account kept being topped up from healthy placings. Back in Queensland this winter, we had an idea that a win was not far away as he was a solid third in the AD Hollindale Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m) followed by another third in the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m).
Kovalica represents a popular family. His dam is a half-sister to three-times Group 1 winner (The) Bostonian (Jimmy Choux), while his grandam is a half-sister to twice New Zealand Horse of the Year and New Zealand Racing Hall of Famer (King) Mufhasa (Pentire), the winner of ten Group 1s in career of 20 wins.
Take the money and run
Matamata trained Pier (Proisir) was a candidate for the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) but at number four on the ballot was scratched and accepted for the Wayne Wilson (Listed, 1600m) in which he was much too good, bagging the winners’ cheque of $92,000. Had he lined up in the big race he needed to finish at least fourth, so the $92,000 was a welcome addition to his career earnings which now exceed $600,000 from five wins in only 13 starts.
Similar to Kovalica, Pier looked a very exciting prospect after his first four starts which yielded the 2022 New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) but things didn’t go his way until the back end of his four-year-old season.
This season began with a close second in the City of Napier Sprint (Listed, 1200m) at Trentham followed by a good third behind Stradbroke winner War Machine in the BRC Sprint (Gr 3, 1350m). Now that he has found form again let’s hope he can go on with it.
From Royal Ascot, Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson may be on the other side of the world but he is up with the play regarding Pier’s sire Proisir (Choisir) advising that Pier marks Proisir’s 11th individual stakes winner for the season.
Cups bound?
As suggested in this column two weeks ago, Campaldino (Ghibellines) took his good form into the Brisbane Cup (Gr 2, 3200m). After a convincing win in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) he then lapped up the extra 800 metres of the Brisbane Cup.
On Saturday he had a decisive lead when the field straightened for the run home and simply defied the opposition to the line. He has only faced the starter 14 times for six wins and earnings close to half a million. He can race handy (good for Caulfield) and can stay all day.
Road show
Windsor Park Stud took to the road last week. In addition to advertising via their website or bloodstock publications, the stud took their message to the people, and not for the first time, with a history of visiting various regions prior to the breeding season, which is just around the corner.
Stud representatives Mike Moran and Nick Hewson were supported by the voice, MC/auctioneer Steve Davis and the road show began in New Plymouth then on to Wanganui and Palmerston North. Next was the Hawke’s Bay and this week the show will go to the deep south, Invercargill and work its way north through to Christchurch.
Turnout at the Awapuni Racecourse was good and the video show slick, especially as the stud has much to talk about given the exciting line up of stallions for the 2025 season.
Highlights were Shamexpress (O’Reilly) and the timing perfect as the stallion’s Ka Ying Rising had just been announced as the highest ranking turf sprinter in the world as a result of his unbeaten season in Hong Kong which included four Group 1s. Randwick and The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) are next for the flying machine, and who wouldn’t want to be in Sydney in October.
The stud is also excited about Profondo (Deep Impact), whose first crop totalling 113 foals will be offered next January. Profondo was busy his first two seasons, covering more than 170 mares in 2023 and the same in 2024.
A year behind Profondo is Paddington (Siyouni), whose first crop will drop this spring.
The stallion’s book filled in record time last year and he covered 160 mares, then attendees got their first proper look at the deeds of Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact), the six-times Group 1 winner with a fabulous pedigree. His own race record aside, Auguste Rodin’s dam and grandam were triple Group 1 winners. His dam’s sister was successful in seven Group 1s. Is there a stronger female line anywhere?
At the conclusion of the gathering Nick Johnson, CEO of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association explained the immediate aims and goals of the association before taking questions.