Accomplished galloper War Eternal scored the fifth win of his career and took his earnings past A$750,000 with a determined victory in Saturday’s Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill.
The A$200,000 race was the third start in a new campaign for the New Zealand-bred Pierro gelding, who finished eighth over 1300m at Rosehill on July 19 before a second placing over the same course and distance on August 2.
Ridden by Jason Collett on Saturday for fellow expat New Zealander Bjorn Baker, War Eternal had a comfortable midfield run in sixth until the home turn.
Collett found clear air midway down the straight as runners fanned out across the track, and he drove War Eternal through to edge out Birdman and the strong-finishing stayer Land Legend.
“Jason gave him a lovely ride,” Baker's racing manager Luke Hilton said. “He needed the breaks to come when they did, but he took advantage of it and raced away really well.
“He's a seven-year-old, so he is probably at the top of his game at the moment. There might be a Listed stakes race we might be able to find while he is racing in this good form. We will just keep chipping away while these tracks have got a little bit of juice in them.”
War Eternal has now had 27 starts for five wins, seven placings and A$755,425 in stakes. Three of those five wins have come since June of last year.
War Eternal had previously performed to a high level as a three-year-old during the 2021-22 season, when he finished second in the Gr.3 Spring Stakes (1600m), third in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) and fourth in Converge’s Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).
Bred by Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay War Eternal was purchased by Baker out their 2020 Karaka Book 1 draft for $160,000.
War Eternal is by Pierro and is the first foal out of the Fastnet Rock mare Aleria, who is the dam of two winners from three foals to race. Her Almanzor daughter Undaunting has won three times in an 18-race career, while Tavistock gelding Nouveau Marche has been a five-time placegetter.
Aleria has since produced the unraced Reliable Man mare Neednoman, three-year-old Circus Maximus gelding Irish Master, and a two-year-old colt by Per Incanto that was bought for $300,000 at Karaka in January. Aleria was served by Almanzor last spring. – NZ Racing Desk.
