Fresh off his win in the $500,000 ATC ST Leger, the five-year-old Declaration Of War (USA) gelding Warning led every step of the way for Nash Rawiller in Saturday’s $300,000 Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) At Flemington.
With just five opposing him, Warning gradually increased the tempo. Sound (Ger) and Wentwood (GB) both made a run at him in the straight, but Warning proved the superior stayer. He drew clear to defeat Sound (Lando) by one and a quarter lengths with Weetwood (Pour Moi) a further neck back in third.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Warning advances his record to five wins, one second, and three thirds from 25 starts with earnings of $2,245,450.
The 2019 Group 1 Victory Derby winner was a $65,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase for Sam Freedman and De Burgh Equine from the draft of Mill Park Stud.
“I have to credit Anthony for purchasing him over there. I was merely looking through the catalogue and had a few mates that were keen to get in one, so he fitted the bill,” Sam Freedman said.
“We bought him more as a trade horse to go to Hong Kong, but he showed he was a little too dour at that stage. Credit to all the staff, he was turned out in terrific order.
“He’s been a terrific horse for the stable, a real stable favourite. He’s been there since day one. He’s been to every big dance - the Caulfield Cup, the Melbourne Cup and obviously a Derby winner.
“He’s got such a good record here at Flemington, and he’s a true stayer. Nash really gets on with him, gets him out of the gates and interested. He’s in a rich vein of form.
“When he was a three-year-old he used to ping the gates like in the Derby. He’s lost a bit of that pace out of the gates for a while.”
Bred by The Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Warning is the best of two winners from as many to race out of the winning Galileo (IRE) mare Livia.
From the famed Arundel Farm family descending from Court Fantasy (GB), Livia is out of the stakes-placed Flying Spur mare Flying Spice, a half-sister to stakes-winner Chattanooga, and to the dams of Real Stolle and Tindal.
Next Level Syndication purchased a Free Eagle colt out of Livia for $150,000 from the Mill Park draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Livia has missed for the last two seasons.
Dual Group 1 winner Declaration Of War (USA) shuttled to Coolmore Stud for two seasons (2014-15). Besides the Victoria Derby winner, he sired the Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare and Queensland Oaks heroine Winning Ways.
The son of War Front now stands at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan.
