A winner two starts back in the Group 2 VRC Linlithgow Stakes (1400m) before fifth in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m), the drop back to 1400m for Saturday’s $1m Supernova at Pakenham returned a windfall for the Ciaron Maher trained Warnie (IRE).
With Warnie settling with the tailenders, the multiple stakes-winner Lim’s Kosciuszko took up the running with equal second favourite, and last year’s Supernova winner Here De Shock (NZ) tracking along in second with Joe Pride’s $12.7m earner and race favourite Private Eye getting a cosy run in third.
Still in second last position as the field rounded the home turn, Warnie had many, many lengths to make up but jockey Thomas Stockdale was bring the Bennett Racing syndicated import to the outside of the field to secure some clear running.
With 200m to run, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained Arkansaw Kid presented himself as a serious challenger, racing up to the tiring Lim’s Kosciuszko as Private Eye was coming along the fence to take the lead.
With Warnie flashing home down the outside at a rate of knots, the son of former Swettenham Stud shuttler Highland Reel gathered in Private Eye to win the race in a tight half-head finish with a long neck back to Arkansaw Kid in third, recording consecutive placings in the race after his second last year.
Stable rep Jack Turnbull was on course after the win.
“It was an exciting race,” said Turnbull. “If you had of asked the team that we would have been second-last in running, I would have said no way.”
“They went solid and Tom just took his time, similar to how Zahra rode him which is new for this horse who has been keen and hard going. Back in trip slightly, a lot of speed, it worked out really well.
Dropping back his fifth in the Cranbourne Cup last start, Turnbull commented how things needed a change up to get him back into the winning frame of mind.
“He was good there, but we had to change things up and we were mindful of how deep we are in the campaign and having to come back to the seven (furlongs).
“Credit to the team. It's very rewarding and it's a huge day for the team."
Winning jockey Tom Stockdale admitted to studying all the tapes of how Mark Zahra has ridden the gelding to get a feel for the best way to partner him.
“I went back through his replays and just loved how Mark rode him,” said Stockdale.
“Everytime Mark sat on his back, he was in a nice flowing rhythm, he was relaxed, conserving energy and he showed an electric turn of foot off it.
“I tried to channel my inner Zahra perch, nice hands, get him to relax, and he let rip in the end."
“When you let rip like that, you are usually confident, but then the gallopers in front of you, you know they are not going to lie down easily.
“He was trained to minute to come back in trip after a tough run and over the mile. To have him so well and present him the way they did, it's a huge credit to the team.
“A big thank-you to Ciaron, Jack and the whole team at Cranbourne. I do plenty of work out of there and it's great to get a win for Bennett Racing.
“It's the biggest win of my career. I've low level Group races, but it's been nowhere as much prize money. It's something special and has come at the right time.”
Taking his overall record to five wins and five placed performances from 19 starts, with over $1,060,123, the 5yo gelding has been a consistent performer for Bennett Racing who secured him for 65,000 guineas from the Knockanglass Stables consignment at the 2023 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale when purchased in conjunction with Blandford Bloodstock.
Bred by Glenanore Stud, Warnie is one of three winners, and first stakes winner out of the Footstepsinthesand mare Cumbfree, a half-sister to the Listed winner Call On Me.
The Group 2-winning Warnie is the best of 14 stakes performers for Galileo’s seven-time Group 1 winner Highland Reel, with one of those elite level scores coming via a length and a half win in the 2105 Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin, a race we will see this Sunday.
