Kiwi-bred four-year-old Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree) caught the eye with his closing fourth placing in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes on Saturday and it is now all guns blazing towards the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19.
When the weights for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups were released on Tuesday, Warmonger was allocated 53.5kgs for both races.
The son of War Decree was a run away winner of the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) last campaign and is certain to gain a start in both feature Cups should connections wish.
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have circled the Caulfield Cup as the prime target this preparation and couldn’t have been happier with the first-up run.
“You need to improve to go from three-year-old staying races to open class, you need to go to the next level and he looks like he has,” Kent Jnr told Giddy Up.
“That was a super run. He basically matched Mr Brightside over the last couple of furlongs.
“He was just further back and when they sprinted, he couldn’t quite go with him at that point. But when the going got tough late in those conditions, he stayed on terrifically and has pulled up really well. So we’re right on track for the Caulfield Cup.”
The Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5 is the next target for the four-year-old gelding.
“The Caulfield Cup is the absolute aim and then the Melbourne Cup. Not saying it’s an afterthought, but if there’s any doubt that we weren’t happy with him, we would look after the horse,” Kent Jnr said.
“It is a gruelling test, but the big carrot is that, I suppose this year when you’re well-handicapped, it’s very attractive.
“But the Caulfield Cup is the race we were very keen on. The Turnbull, he could be very competitive there, but I do believe that Via Sistina should really bounce back. She’s just got too much class not to.
“If Mr Brightside went there, well, that’ll be a great race again, but he’ll be charging home at the 2000m.
“He’ll drop to 53.5kgs in the Caulfield Cup and put him in the race properly and away we go.”
Out of the winning Savabeel mare Princess Sapphire, Warmonger was bred by Kevin Hickman and sold as a yearling for $75,000 before being presented by Prima Park at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Riccarton trainer Shane Kennedy went to $165,000 to secure the youngster. Remarkably, three of the first four across the line in the Makybe Diva Stakes are graduates of the Ready To Run Sale, including winner Mr Brightside and third placegetter Antino.
Warmonger carries the colours of OTI Racing, who purchased him privately after a dominant 800m trial victory at Ashburton in April of last year for original trainers Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong.
