War Machine (NZ) Earns Group One Opportunity

Up-and-comer War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) scored the biggest win of his career in Saturday’s A$300,000 HKJC World Pool BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben, and in the process he booked himself a ticket to next month’s A$3m Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

War Machine was bred by members of Ardsley Stud’s Wallace Family, and he was offered by Ardsley in Book 1 of Karaka 2022 and the Ready to Run Sale but passed in on both occasions. With Jim and David Wallace still sharing in the ownership, he has now earned A$680,010 from a 12-start career that has produced five wins and four placings.

The gelding was previously trained by the late Mike Moroney, for whom he won three races including the Listed Bendigo Guineas (1400m). He also ran third in the A$1m Silver Eagle (1300m) and finished close up behind the placegetters in the A$10m Golden Eagle (1500m) and the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

War Machine is now trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes and made a winning start for his new stable at Caulfield on May 10. He stepped on to the black-type stage on Saturday and delivered a repeat result.

Given a perfect run by Blake Shinn just behind the speed, War Machine pounced in the straight and kicked away to win by two and a half lengths from Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) and the New Zealand Group One winner Pier (NZ) (Proisir).

“That was an unbelievable effort by the horse,” JD Hayes said. “We’ve only had him a short time. He came in incredible condition from Ballymore. We’ve been very lucky to inherit him and he’s gone from strength to strength.

“Blake gave him a beautiful ride. It looked like we’d get a beautiful fun from the barrier and he’d let down well, which is exactly what happened. He had his ears pricked on the line and we’re really looking forward to the Stradbroke.

“He’s a lovely, calm animal and a real professional. That was only his 12th start and he’s on the way up. Extremely excited to see what we can do in the next couple of weeks and in the spring. He’s a really talented galloper in the stable.

“He’s got a lovely racing style and in these colours – Rupert Legh – who is a big supporter of the stable. He’s drawing comparisons to a horse that Dad (David Hayes) trained called Eagle Falls (Hussonet) who won an Oakleigh Plate (Group One, 1100m). We couldn’t be happier with how everything has panned out.”

War Machine has been on Shinn’s radar since the gelding first crossed the Tasman and joined Moroney’s stable.

“He’s a lovely horse,” Shinn said. “I had a little bit to do with him when Mike Moroney trained him, and he did a great job nurturing him in his early days. The Hayes boys are the beneficiary of that.

“Hopefully this win paves the way to the Straddie. We always thought he had Group One ability. Mike ran him in a Golden Eagle and he ran well. He ran in a Rupert Clarke.

“I think he’s a bit more seasoned now and he’s going to be tested against a better level of horses, and I think today showcased that with a win against handy opposition. If he runs in the Straddie, I think he’ll be hard to beat.”

Vendor	Ardsley Stud Limited
Purchaser
Breeding	Harry Angel – Caserta
Sale	Lot 152, Karaka 2022 Book 1, Psd ($100,000)Lot 45, 2022 Ready to Run Sale, Psd (Res $100,000)
Breeder	MDJ Bloodstock Ltd
Owner	Ballymore Stables (Aust) Pty Ltd, R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd, Mr N J Griffin, Mrs J S Griffin, Mr G B Robinson, Mr B C Hollow, Mr S W Kay, Ms M A Keating, Mr G Lygoyris, Mrs S Lygoyris, Mr A S Byron, Mr A Williams, Mr K McCaul, Mr J B Hart, Mr M J Davies, Mr D W Wallace, Mr J V Wallace