Kiwi Star Still Dominant in Singapore

Star kiwi three-year-old War Affair (NZ) (O’Reilly) has once again dominated in his own age group, racing to a comfortable victory in the Sgp-2 S$350,000 Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m), the second leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.

War Affair (NZ) races away to win the Sgp-2 Singapore 3YO Classic.

Sunday’s victory by the son of O’Reilly has already secured him the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge with one race remaining, as the gelding was a decisive winner of the first event of the three-race Challenge, the Sgp-3 Singapore 3YO Sprint on 30 March.

“Super, just super,” commented his elated trainer Alwin Tan. “I don’t know what else to say about this horse. There are no more words to describe him left. He’s just like a god.”

“He keeps surprising us every time and never seems to stop improving. I feel so proud to have this horse in my stable and he’s been just an amazing horse to work with.”

Ridden by former Australian rider Danny Beasley, War Affair began well from an outside barrier of 12 in the 13-horse field. Beasley was able to find a comfortable position one horse wide of the rails and three horses back from leader in the running.

As the field entered the straight, War Affair cruised up to the leaders to challenge and when Beasley asked him for an effort he responded, quickly clearing out to win by two lengths from the field. Fellow kiwi Goodman (NZ) (Alamosa) chased hard but War Affair was too good, winning in a slick time of 1.21.39.

Sunday’s win was War Affair’s eighth victory from only 11 starts,with five of those victories coming at black-type level. He hasn’t finished out of the top two spots at any time since his first career outing back in April 2013, accumulating S$961,638 in earnings for his owners the War Plan Stable.

Bred by Trelawney Thoroughbreds Ltd, War Affair is out of an unraced American mare Kristique (Kris S) who is a daughter of four-time Group 1 winner Nastique (Naskra), the dam of stakes winners Thunder Kitten (Storm Cat) and Nobo True (Broad Bush).

David Ellis purchased War Affair for $70,000 at the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale from Trelawney Stud. Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker trained War Affair to win six races last year, including Singapore’s 2YO Golden Horseshoe Series and the More Magic 3YO Series before his transfer to Tan’s stable.

A weekend does not go by without the progeny of O’Reilly capturing big race success, with Silent Achiever bolting home for two Group 1 wins, and Sacred Falls collecting the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap and second in Saturday’s A$4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth over the Sydney Autumn Carnival.