Unwanted youngster joins Everest challenge

[Wandering Eyes]

Buyers passed over War Machine as a younger horse and his Masterton breeders and part-owners continue to count their blessings that he returned home after two tours of the Karaka sale ring.

The New Zealand-bred son of Harry’s Angel was offered by Ardsley Stud at both New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and Ready to Run Sale and failed to attract the expected interest.

“We always liked the horse and put what we thought was a realistic value ($100,000) on him,” Ardsley’s Jim Wallace said.

“Everybody thought he was too small, but I think he’s big enough.”

War Machine has since grown in stature, firstly from the stable of the late Michael Moroney, and now with Ben, Will and JD Hayes, with his victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) earning him a crack at the A$20 million The Everest (1200m).

He will run in the Coolmore slot and joins fellow Wairarapa-bred Jimmysstar, part-owned by breeder Little Avondale Stud, in the Randwick feature on October 18.

Bred by MDJ Bloodstock, War Machine has now won seven of his 14 starts and banked more than $2.6 million.

The five-year-old was purchased by clients of Moroney’s stable after a trial win at Foxton with Wallace and son David remaining in the ownership group.

“MDJ is David and his late wife Madelaine and myself and my wife Mary,” Wallace said.

“He showed us an awful lot as a young horse, and he was very impressive when he won his trial.

“Steven Pinfold, who is a long, long-time family friend, was there and he put the deal together very quickly and is still involved and more or less manages the horse for us.

“He’s a genuine racehorse with class, I might be persuaded to go over now (for The Everest).”

War Machine is out of the Hussonet mare Caserta, a A$40,000 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale buy whose five foals to race have all been successful.

She also has an unraced Darci Brahma three-year-old gelding named Vanvitelli.

“We sold him earlier in the year to the Hayes stable, he’s had a couple of trials and is out spelling. He’s a lovely horse,” Wallace said.

“There’s a two-year-old by Satono Aladdin, who we have just sold the majority of to MyRacehorse. They bought 60 percent of him and David and I have still got a bit of him.”

Ardsley will also offer a daughter of In The Congo, a Group One-winning son of Snitzel, and Caserta at Karaka.

“She’s a lovely filly too, and the mare is on the point of foaling any day now to Per Incanto and she will be going back to him,” Wallace said.

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