Quality four-year-old Warsaw has been sold and will continue his career offshore.
The son of Vadamos broke his maiden at his third start earlier this year from Chris Gibbs’ Ruakaka stable and then finished third in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) at his next appearance.
Warsaw was spelled following an unplaced effort after an interrupted run in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and buyers came calling following his impressive resuming win over 1300m on his home track last month.
“He has been sold and is just about to go into quarantine to go over to Hong Kong. I think he will be a serious Hong Kong Derby (2000m) horse,” Gibbs said.
Bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds, Warsaw was purchased for $25,000 out of Lansdowne Park Stud’s 2021 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
He is a half-brother to the Gr.3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m) winner Rhythm To Spare with their dam the Zabeel mare Stanica, who was successful on four occasions and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Avondale Cup (2200m).
A crack at a top-flight event is also a possibility for one of Warsaw’s former stablemates in Cakebytheocean, who runs in the Mills Reef Wines Open Handicap (2100m) at Tauranga on Saturday.
“He’s nominated for the Livamol Classic (Gr.1, 2040m), but he would have to do something on Saturday,” Gibbs said.
“We threw in a nomination and he would have to win pretty well to consider it.”
Cakebytheocean was a winner over 2100m, his fourth victory, on his home course last time out before he finished third in the Kerikeri Cup (2200m), again at Ruakaka, after the son of Ocean Park was tightened for room in the straight.
“He was unlucky and sometimes those small fields are the difficult ones to negotiate and he ran into a bit of trouble,” Gibbs said.
Masa Hashizume will retain the mount at Tauranga while barnmate and race rival Chevron will be partnered for the first time by Craig Grylls.
Chevron has been close to the action in recent outings without having any luck also going the way of the El Roca six-year-old.
“Hopefully, Gryllsy will keep him out of trouble and that’s all he needs,” Gibbs said.
“He is very well and travelling overnight to Matamata and then on to Tauranga on Saturday is always a bit difficult, but these horses have to learn to travel and race.
“It’s a means to an end and both of them are also nominated for the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m).”
