The most expensive yearling from the first Australian crop of Deep Impact shuttler Saxon Warrior (Jpn) became his first Australian winner when scoring on debut at Sale on Sunday.
Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, two year-old colt Warlords had obviously been doing all the right things at home as he was sent out a short priced favourite for the 1205m maiden.
Warlords took a while to hit top gear in the straight, but was doing his best work on the line to win by a length for Blake Shinn.
“It was his first start today and he handled the occasion like a professional and full credit to the team to prep him up to win on debut,” said Blake Shinn.
“I think ultimately he’ll end up a mile, 2000m 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.”
Bred by Ben Kwok and foaled and raised at Willow Park, Warlords was a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft for Busuttin Racing/Group 1 Bloodstock. He is a half-brother to Group III placed Folk Dress being the sixth winner from seven to race from Gypsy Chimes (USA), a winning half-sister by Snow Ridge to Group III winner La Chunga, the grand-dam of current European stakes-winner Buckaroo.
Gypsy Chimes has another yearling filly by Saxon Warrior followed by a King’s Legacy colt.
Warlords is the first Southern Hemisphere winner for dual Group I winner Saxon Warrior, who has sired five stakes-winners in the Northern Hemisphere headed by Group I winner Victoria Road.
He shuttled to Coolmore Australia for four seasons covering 387 mares including 124 last spring, but is remaining in Ireland this year.
