Cover image courtesy of Racing Queensland
Race-Day Recap
Warmonger (War Decree) won the G1 Queensland Derby by 10l and supplied his promising sire, War Decree, with his first Group 1 winner with his visually impressive performance.
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained I Wish I Win (Savabeel) returned to the winner's circle and nabbed his second Group 1 victory, beating Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle Farm.
Clinton Taylor’s tough and talented Chinny Boom (Spirit Of Boom) landed a breakthrough stakes success in the Listed Helen Coughlan S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
It was an exciting hour for the Pakenham-based stable of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. Prior to I Wish I Win (Savabeel) exacting revenge in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup, their talented filly Roll On High (Shamus Award) earned a golden ticket for the G1 Stradbroke H. after winning the G3 Fred Best Classic.
Warmonger huge in Queensland Derby
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}), like I Wish I Win (NZ) in the previous Group 1 on the Eagle Farm card, carried the New Zealand suffix to victory in the G1 Queensland Derby.
Jumping from barrier 18, with Blake Shinn the saddle, Warmonger, carrying the colours of OTI Racing, found a trail behind the runaway leader Navy King (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}). Upon entering the home straight, with Navy King finding little, Warmonger put the afterburners on and seemingly the further they went, the further in front he got.
Crossing the line 10l adrift of Moonlight Magic (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}), with Felix The Scat (Mendelssohn {USA}) running into third. The favoured Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) finished ninth, while Tannhauser (Dundeel {NZ}) was 11th.
With co-trainer Mick Price enjoying a holiday, Michael Kent Jnr was left in charge, he told 7HorseRacing, “I think he was getting faster past the post. Blake (Shinn) said to us before the race, the thing with Warmonger is he never ends on his run. I agreed, and he informed us he didn’t want to be found wanting at the finish; the only query were the track conditions.
“During the run, I was thinking what are you doing here Blake? He kept poking forward and three-wide most of the journey but it was the right call because the leader got away so far, you had to be near the front as nothing was making ground.”
Describing the feeling of winning a Group 1 by 10l, Kent Jnr said, “It’s probably the best feeling I’ve had in racing when you’re that far in front you can actually sit back and enjoy it.
“It’s probably the best feeling I’ve had in racing when you’re that far in front you can actually sit back and enjoy it.” - Michael Kent Jnr
“He’s just kept getting better and better this horse. He’s rapidly improving and obviously has a good engine. The stable has won an Oaks (Australasian Oaks: Vibrant Sun) and now a Derby; it has capped off a good season.”
Warmonger bred by K J Hickman Onzm, is from the Savabeel mare Princess Sapphire (NZ). She won twice and is also the dam of the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas-placed Blue Solitaire (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}). Princess Sapphire is a half-sister to Merion (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), a Listed winner and Group 2-placed twice in the Queensland Guineas and the Tulloch S.
The son of War Decree (USA) won the Listed TAB Trophy during the spring last year, and was placed in the G1 South Australian Derby and the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas this preparation. He was sold for NZ$75,000 to Bevan Bloodstock through the draft of Valachi Downs at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. Warmonger was reoffered by Prima Park at the 2022 New Zealand Ready To Run Sale to SJ Kennedy for NZ$165,000.
Warmonger (NZ) | Image courtesy of Grant Peters, Trackside Photography
Warmonger is the first Group 1 winner for War Decree, a son of War Front (USA), who will stand the 2024 season at Inglewood Stud in New Zealand for NZ$7000 (plus GST).
I Wish I Win reverses placings in Kingsford-Smith Cup
I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) exacted his revenge over his G1 Doomben 10,000 vanquisher Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Sporting the blinkers for the first time since August 2022, I Wish I Win with Luke Nolen back in the saddle, was able to overcome the gallant mare. Meanwhile, In Secret (I Am Invincible) first-up since November ran into third ahead of the locally trained Freedom Rally (Rubick).
Joseph Pride’s The Everest hero Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) faded to finish fifth, after enjoying a seemingly comfortable run. He narrowly held off a charging Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), who was finishing late after settling towards the back of the field in the 1300-metre feature.
The victory of I Wish I Win marked the continued rise of the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman partnership. Only 30 minutes prior the stable celebrated the success of Roll On High (Shamus Award) in the G3 Fred Best Classic, earning a golden ticket into the G1 Stradbroke H.
Speaking to 7HorseRacing post-race, co-trainer Katherine Coleman said, “It’s pretty incredible; I’m so thrilled for the whole time. He is an incredible horse, he’s got such a will to win.
“We’ve got our whole crew here today (Saturday), including the Moody family and our racing manager Jeff O’Connor. It makes it so special. We just try and keep I Wish I Win happy, healthy and enjoying his racing.
“It’s pretty incredible; I’m so thrilled for the whole time. He (I Wish I Win) is an incredible horse, he’s got such a will to win.” - Katherine Coleman
“You see it (will to win) in races like that (Kingsford-Smith Cup) when he really has to tough it out.”
Coleman indicated that I Wish I Win will be searching for an The Everest slot, with the spring sprint high on the agenda, “It definitely sounds like a plan (to get a Everest slot).”
Ciaron Maher, trainer of Bella Nipotina shared his tough as teak mare may extend her winter preparation in Queensland, “If she’s bright, well and the weather keeps coming… she didn’t get a lot of weight in the Straddy (Stradbroke H.),” he told 7HorseRacing.
I Wish I Win (NZ) strides past Bella Nipotina to win the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle Farm | Image courtesy of Grant Peters, Trackside Photography
“The Tatts Tiara was always the plan but I was surprised she didn’t get that much weight in the Stradbroke, really. She only got around 55.5kg, which is a winnable weight, I thought.”
I Wish I Win has won seven races, including the G1 TJ Smith S. and the Golden Eagle. He is from the Pins mare Make A Wish (NZ), who won twice, and is also the dam of the classy Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), a victress of the G3 Premier’s Cup, and placegetter in the G1 Queensland Oaks.
The son of Savabeel was bred by Waikato Stud and raced by Mark Chittick and Peter Moody. Waikato Stud’s eight-time Champion Sire Savabeel will stand the 2024 breeding season for NZ$100,000 (plus GST).
Deserved breakthrough for Chinny
It was a well-deserved stakes victory for the Clinton Taylor-trained Chinny Boom (Spirit Of Boom) in the Listed Helen Coughlan S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday. For backers of the daughter of Spirit Of Boom, the end of the 1200-metre feature was a relatively easy success, as she coasted away Bezique (Spirit Of Boom) and Bubble Rock (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) with Justin P Stanley in the saddle.
The Rockhampton-based Taylor, told Sky Racing, “That is one for the battlers! She was in the wrong part of the track last start, and you’ve had horses like Tiger Shark also come out of the race and win.
“Justin (P Stanley) was adamant to push on with Chinny Boom, and I’ve got to give a big thank you to Cejay Graham, who comes in and rides her. She’s also been adamant her work has been outstanding. We came in quietly confident Chinny Boom could run a race.
“For Chinny Boom to win like this, is fantastic. We’ve been chasing that stakes win for about three years, and I’m happy to just enjoy it.”
P Stanley added, “It was very disappointing last start, we were just in the wrong part of the track. When the fields came out and we got barrier 19 (today) we were spewing, but as it worked out it’s probably the place to be with the track.
“When she jumped away within two strides, I knew she was going to run well. It’s outstanding to get that stakes victory for her and Clinton.”
“For Chinny Boom to win like this, is fantastic. We’ve been chasing that stakes win for about three years, and I’m happy to just enjoy it.” - Clinton Taylor
Bred by MJ Pascoe, Chinny Boom was presented by Eureka Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Sale but didn’t meet her $50,000 reserve, passing in for $48,000. She is the 10th foal from the Made Of Gold (USA) mare Imanoremiss, who is also the dam of the eight-time winner Le Palmier (Spirit Of Boom).
Chinny Boom won her first five starts, before finishing second in the Listed Mode S. behind Stroll (Snitzel) but beat the subsequent Group 1 winner Sunshine In Paris (Invader). In total, Chinny Boom has won nine races, and placed twice in Listed races before Saturday’s breakthrough.
She is the 27th stakes winner for Eureka Stud’s Spirit Of Boom, who will remain at a fee of $38,500 (inc GST) this spring.
Classy filly to Roll into Stradbroke
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s talented filly Roll On High (Shamus Award) returned to her best form to run down a competitive field in the G3 Fred Best Classic at Eagle Farm, securing a golden ticket to the G1 Stradbroke H. in two-weeks time.
Ridden by Vlad Duric, the Listed winner launched to nab John O’Shea’s Rhythm Of Love (Grunt {NZ}), while the talented Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) from the Bjorn Baker stable finished third.
Post-race, Moody shared with 7HorseRacing, “I said six months ago to the owners when she won at Flemington the race that I’d love to aim at is the Stradbroke (H).
“Roll On High hasn’t had the rub of green this preparation, and she still quickens on top of the ground. She’s got the golden ticket into the Stradbroke, and I think there will be a few jockeys at the lightweight lining-up.
“She’s a fantastic filly. It’s pleasing after a very frustrating result to get this result. Congrats to Rob Slade, the other owners and the team.”
Roll On High, bred by M Falvey, is the first foal from the unraced High Chaparral (Ire) mare All Highs On Me, a three-quarter-sister to the Champion 3-Year-Old Monaco Consul (NZ). All High On Me has fillies by Yulong’s Alabama Express and Tagaloa to come.
“She’s a fantastic filly. It’s pleasing after a very frustrating result to get this result. Congrats to Rob Slade, the other owners and the team.” - Peter Moody
The daughter of Shamus Award won the Listed Desirable S. and was fourth in the G2 Sunline S. Roll On High was withdrawn from the 2021 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, she is one of 25 stakes winners for Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award, who will stand the 2024 season for a reduced fee of $38,500 (inc GST).
