Warlords
TRAINER: Trent Busuttin and Natalie YoungRACE: VRC Member Matthew Hodder Plate (1410m)
Following a taking winning debut at Sale last month, the Trent Busttin and Natalie Young-trained Warlords (Saxon Warrior) will make the jump up to Saturday company today when he contests the VRC Member Matthew Hodder Plate (1410m) at Flemington.
Having been sent off the $2.05 favourite for his first assignment, a 1205-metre maiden, on July 23, the now three-year-old colt came home strongly inside the closing stages to run out a length winner over I Eff Oh (Santos).
“It was his first start and he handled the occasion like a professional and full credit to the team to prepare him to win on debut,” winning rider Blake Shinn said after the victory.
“I think ultimately he’ll end up a mile, 2000-metre type of horse. When the chips were down today and I got stuck right into him he was there for me and in the end he won pretty soft.”
Today, he will take on the hat-trick seeking Flying Concello (Trapeze Artist), last-start Vobis Gold Ingot (1400m) runner-up Gawnski (Impending) and the stakes-placed Gangitano (Written By).
Bred by Ben Kwok and foaled and raised at Willow Park, Warlords is the most expensive yearling from the first Australian crop of Coolomore shuttler Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact) when he was bought by his trainers and Group 1 Bloodstock for $400,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is a half-brother to the Group 3-placed dual winner Folk Dress (Pierro) being the sixth winner from seven to race out of the Snow Ridge (Tabasco Cat) mare Gypsy Chimes, herself a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner La Chunga (More Than Ready).
Gypsy Chimes has another yearling filly by Saxon Warrior followed by a King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) colt. Saxon Warrior shuttled to Jerrys Plains for four seasons, covering 387 mares, including 124 last spring at a fee of $19,250 (inc GST), but remained in Ireland this year where he stood the northern hemisphere breeding season for a fee of €35,000 (approx. AU$58,490).