At Riccarton Park on Saturday, War Front stallion Sweet Orange (USA) recorded his first winner with the very smart 2YO Khimar War.
Trained by Lance Robinson, it was the second start for the
son of Sweet Orange who placed on debut last month over the same track and
distance (1000m).
"He’s a very exciting horse and he’s not just a two-year-old,” said trainer Lance Robinson.
"He’s really surprised me with what he’s shown as we only really ran him for education, but he’s just kept getting better and better.”
While Robinson is eyeing a start in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton on 5 May as the season finale for his charge, he is quick to admit he is looking forward to the gelding’s three-year-old campaign with relish.
"We’re under a bit of pressure whether to run him in the two-year-old final or turn him out,” he said.
"It’s a black-type race so we probably need to back up in a fortnight, but I just can’t wait until he turns three.
"I said to Jacob (Lowry) to ride him a wee bit quiet as I only wanted to see him finding the line.
"He showed his true worth and I’m just rapt
as I think I have a really nice three-year-old on my hands.”
Khimar War, a $30,000 Karaka Select Yearling graduate from the draft of Highview Stud, he is out of the Stakes-placed Clay Hero mare Flame of Atlanta whose eight named foals are all winners and include the Stakes winner Flame of Sydney (Encosta de Lago) who in turn is the dam of Snitzel's Champion 2YO Invader, and the multiple Group winner Notlistenin'tome (Dylan Thomas).
A Stakes-winning juvenile over 7f in Ireland, Sweet Orange, who is by the breed-shaper War Front and out of the Unbridled Song mare Good Vibes, was also placed at Group level at 2 when second to Dubai Prince in the Group 3 Killavullen Stakes, 7f.
A winner in Hong Kong at three over 1400m, Sweet Orange trained on at four to win the Listed Mercedez Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile, beating Fay Fay and My Admiration, and was Stakes placed on a further four occasions that season, including a 3rd in the Group 1 HKJC Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Starting his stud career at Highview Stud in New Zealand where he stood for three seasons before standing the 2017 season at Aquis in Queensland, Sweet Orange looks to have a promising stallion career ahead of him.
From just four foals to race he now boasts the city winner Khimar War, and the promising filly Luvlucy who was 2nd on debut at Cambridge over 1000m as a pre-Christmas 2YO, before finishing 6th in the Group 3 ARC Eclipse Stakes on her second start.
Sweet Orange is a sire who would suit a boutique breeding operation looking for a proven stallion with top international bloodlines who boasts excellent fertility and throws a great type – he had one yearling offered at this year's Karaka Select Sale; a filly from Wealth Star from the draft of Wentwood Grange that sold to Collett Racing for $75,000.
