Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The deal further strengthens Vinery’s emerging stallion line-up, with the stud believing Warwoven has all the attributes to make his mark at stud.
Vinery Stud has reached an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Warwoven, the brilliant 3-year-old who has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting colts of his generation.
Bred by Kia Ora Stud, a shareholder in Vinery, which will retain an interest in the colt, Warwoven (Sword Of State) will continue his racing career before retiring to Vinery, where he will join an increasingly strong and diverse stallion roster.
Warwoven | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The colt was purchased for $380,000 by Ridgmont, Bjorn Baker Racing, S & J Gosling and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Kia Ora Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
For Vinery General Manager Adam White, securing an interest in Warwoven represents an exciting opportunity to add a colt with an outstanding combination of early speed, elite performance and physical quality to the operation's future stallion ranks.
A proven Group 1 performer with speed and versatility
Warwoven has already compiled an impressive record, winning six races and demonstrating his class across a range of distances and against the best of his generation.
He made an immediate impression with an emphatic debut victory at Randwick as a December 2-year-old before heading north to Queensland, where he won over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm in his final start ahead of the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Unfortunately, a temperature on the morning of the feature forced his withdrawal, denying him the opportunity to contest the race as an odds-on favourite. After a short let-up, he returned with a fourth in the G2 Skyline Stakes behind subsequent Group 1 winner Campione D’Italia (Snitzel), before bouncing back in the G2 Pago Pago Stakes, defeating Outspan (Bivouac) and Central Europe (Frankel {GB}).
Warwoven winning the TAB Plate at Randwick | Image courtesy of Sportpix
He rounded out his juvenile campaign with a brave sixth in the G1 Golden Slipper behind Guest House (Home Affairs), earning a well-deserved break before returning as a 3-year-old.
Warwoven resumed with a sound fifth in the G3 San Domenico Stakes behind Guest House, having settled back from a wide barrier, but quickly found his stride, embarking on a remarkable winning sequence.
Victories in the G2 Run To The Rose, G1 Golden Rose and G1 Caulfield Guineas followed, before he finished a brave seventh in the G1 Cox Plate.
His achievements across the three races have further highlighted his exceptional versatility. Warwoven is the first horse in history to win theRun To The Rose, Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas over 1200 metres, 1400 metres and 1600 metres respectively.
Warwoven winning the G1 Caulfield Guineas | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Three horses have completed the Golden Rose–Caulfield Guineas double, with Warwoven recording the fastest winning time in both races. His Timeform rating of 123 in the Golden Rose is also equal highest in the race over the past 10 years, alongside Beiwacht and his sire Bivouac.
White believes the colt's performances at both two and three are particularly significant, with his juvenile brilliance adding another important dimension to his credentials.
“To find a horse that can win as a December 2-year-old in brilliant fashion, be an odds-on favourite for the Magic Millions, where unfortunately he didn’t get to show his talent being scratched on the morning of the race, is very exciting.
“But to come back after that hiccup and win the Pago Pago the way he did is testament to his toughness, brilliance and resilience.
Adam White | Image courtesy of Vinery Stud
“Stallions such as The Autumn Sun and Ole Kirk have shown us what these horses that win both the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas can do at stud, but what also excites me personally is knowing how brilliant he was at two.”
While his 3-year-old campaign has been outstanding, White also saw plenty of merit in Warwoven's latest performance in the G1 Cox Plate, despite the step up to 2000 metres presenting a different challenge.
“He has been explosive at three. He has had an incredible preparation and I thought his Cox Plate run was full of merit.
“He (Warwoven) has been explosive at three. He has had an incredible preparation and I thought his Cox Plate run was full of merit.” - Adam White
“Whether he fully went the 2000 metres is questionable, but he finished alongside a horse with the class of Sir Delius. He was also a bit unlucky having to go back to the inside, where he showed a sharp turn of foot, but was probably in the area of the track where you didn't want to be.”
Physical quality to match his racetrack brilliance
Warwoven's performances have provided plenty of evidence of his ability, but it is his physical make-up and athleticism that have also left a lasting impression on White.
Having first seen the colt as part of Kia Ora Stud's 2025 Magic Millions yearling draft, White was immediately taken by his presence and overall quality.
“He's quality. The first time I saw him was when I saw the Kia Ora Stud Magic Millions draft. They always have good drafts and he just stood out.
“He's (Warwoven) quality. The first time I saw him was when I saw the Kia Ora Stud Magic Millions draft. They always have good drafts and he just stood out.” - Adam White
“Also, I regard Jim Clarke and Bjorn Baker in very high regard as judges and they took a liking to him.
“I also saw him after his Golden Rose win before he went down to Melbourne. He just blows you away. He is a great colour, has a great colt's head, great strength and bone and, importantly, he moves like an athlete.
“He has tremendous bone and athleticism, and you can see straight away why he was at the races very early in his career as a juvenile.
“He really is faultless.”
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Warwoven's trainer, Bjorn Baker, has also been hugely impressed by the colt's qualities, believing his combination of speed, strength and temperament sets him apart.
“I've been fortunate to train some outstanding horses, but Warwoven is something different. It's rare to find a colt with this much speed, strength and tenacity who also has the mind to handle it.
“He has real presence, what I'd call mana, and I simply cannot fault him physically. Watching him range up wide and kick clear in the Caulfield Guineas, his second Group One in a month, was really something special.
“I fully expect him to build on his record in the autumn, and I believe we've only seen the start of what he can do,” Baker said.
“I fully expect him (Warwoven) to build on his record in the autumn, and I believe we've only seen the start of what he can do.” - Bjorn Baker
A pedigree with depth and further opportunity
Warwoven's appeal is also underpinned by a strong pedigree, He is a son of Cambridge Stud's exciting 2-year-old Group 1 winner Sword Of State, who himself is by the legendary Snitzel.
He is the first foal out of the Group 2-winning mare Needle And Thread (Makfi {GB}).
Needle And Thread is a half-sister to the late Listed winner and multiple Group 1-placed stallion Savile Row (NZ), while the wider family also includes dual Group 1 winner and stallion The Gurkha (Ire) and the Group 1-placed Arrogant (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Needle And Thread | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Needle And Thread was purchased for NZ$410,000 by Shane Wright and Kia Ora Stud through the Valachi Downs Unreserved Broodmare & Stallion Share Dispersal Sale. She was served by Sword Of State in New Zealand, with the resulting foal becoming Warwoven, who was born in Australia.
The mare has further exciting progeny to follow, with a 2-year-old and a yearling by Farnan, and has crossed back across the Tasman this spring to visit Sword Of State again.
The depth of the family, combined with Warwoven's own racetrack achievements, provides another appealing element to his future prospects, with the colt already having demonstrated the speed and precocity that made him such a standout as a yearling.
A valuable addition to an evolving Vinery roster
Warwoven's acquisition comes at an exciting time for Vinery, with the operation continuing to strengthen its stallion roster following Kia Ora Stud becoming a significant shareholder.
That development saw Kia Ora's stallions, G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan, first-season sire Tropicus and Captivant, join Vinery's existing stallion operation, adding further depth and diversity to its line-up.
Through its own mares and those of its shareholders, Vinery now has the support of one of the largest and highest-quality groups of mares in Australia.
White believes the colt will complement the existing line-up particularly well, with a balance of established performers and emerging young sires providing the operation with plenty of momentum.
“He will slot into our roster very well when he retires. We have a really strong roster now and obviously have the addition of the Kia Ora boys.
“He (Warwoven) will slot into our roster very well when he retires. We have a really strong roster now and obviously have the addition of the Kia Ora boys.” - Adam White
“All Too Hard and Star Turn are the older proven boys, but otherwise there is a lot of youth in the roster.
“Ole Kirk was Champion First Season Sire, Farnan is doing a great job with the likes of Ninja and his progeny are really warming up in Hong Kong. Hawaii Five Oh is a very commercial son of I Am Invincible and I can't wait to show his yearlings off at the sales, while Tropicus is a lovely-looking son of Too Darn Hot who is a Group 1-winning sprinter.
“Warwoven will slot in very nicely. He is very exciting.”
“Warwoven will slot in very nicely. He is very exciting.” - Adam White
With his racing career still to unfold, the immediate focus remains on what else the colt can achieve on the track, but his future at Vinery is now secured, giving the stud and its shareholders plenty to look forward to when he eventually makes the transition to the breeding barn.
