Kiwi Steals Singapore’s Golden Horseshoe Series

The kiwi bred War Affair (NZ) confirmed his status as Singapore’s most talented two-year-old with a dominant win in the last leg of Singapore’s Golden Horseshoe Series, the S$325,000 Sgp-2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) at Kranji on Friday night.

The Mark Walker trained War Affair (O’Reilly x Kristique) won the fifth leg of the six-race Series at his last start two weeks ago and was the only two-year-old to win two legs of the Series.

War Affair (NZ) was the only horse to win two legs of Singapore’s Golden Horseshoe Series. Photo courtesy of the STC

Friday night’s Golden Horseshoe was a true final for the Series as each winner of the first five races – Rappor, Tashi, Silver Dollar, Peace No War and War Affair – contested the race, but it was War Affair who stamped himself as a class act in the capacity field.

Ridden by champion jockey Joao Moreira, the son of O’Reilly settled mid-field before forcing his way between runners on the turn and unleashed his powerful finish to race to a convincing two length victory.

“He’s a pretty exciting horse,” commented Mark Walker. “He’s kept improving with age and he’s got an exciting future in Singapore. Being by O’Reilly, who’s a great sire, I think he’ll go over more ground here. 

“Two starts ago, he probably needed the run as he was not quite mature as an individual. He’s a big scopey sort and whatever he does now, he will improve on for sure.

“Regardless of how he went tonight, he will have two weeks out and I will map out a programme for him.”

Bred by Trelawney Thoroughbreds, the two-year-old was purchased by David Ellis from Brent and Cherry Taylor’s Trelawney Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Karaka Premier Sale for $70,000.

“David Ellis is the one who bought this horse,” confirmed Walker. “We had a budget of NZ$100,000 and he went for less, he was under-budget, and he’s proven a good buy.”

War Affair is raced by the Warplan Racing Stable and has won two of his three starts for S$226,282 in stakes.

War Affair is the 13th stakes winner this season for the Waikato Stud sire O’Reilly who leads the New Zealand Sires’ Premiership with progeny earnings of $2,089,602, over $465,000 clear of the second placed Savabeel.