War Machine out for Newmarket redemption

[Wandering Eyes]

War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) will chase a second Group 1 win when he lines up in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.

A field of 15 is set to do battle down the famous Flemington straight six in the Newmarket Handicap.

In what was a ‘who will be there and who won’t’ discussion in the days leading up to Wednesday’s acceptances, the highly rated three-year-old Tentyris (Street Boss) is among the 15 chasing Group 1 glory and joins an honour roll that dates back to 1874.

Tentyris will be looking to add his name to previous three-year-old modern-day winners that includes Placid Ark (1987), Schillaci (1992), Exceed And Excel (2004), Weekend Hussler (2008), Brazen Beau (2015), Bivouac (2020) and Cylinder (2024).

But with 57kg, Tentyris will need to equal the weight carrying record for a three-year-old set by Ajax back in 1938.

Tentyris has raced up the Flemington straight on four occasions and was breathtaking in his past two victories, taking the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in the spring and in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at his return on February 14.

Mark Zahra gets back aboard on Saturday after Damian Lane steered him to victory last time and the pair will jump from barrier12.

Looking to stop the winning record of Tentyris down the Flemington straight will be the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes.

Lindsay Park is chasing its first Newmarket success since Redkirk Warrior went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.

A lot has changed at Lindsay Park since then when David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig were at the helm.

The Hayes brothers will be represented by War Machine on Saturday who will jump from barrier 11 with Jamie Mott back in the saddle.

Mott partnered War Machine when successful at his first outing for Lindsay Park at Caulfield in May before the galloper headed to Brisbane to win the BRC Sprint and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

War Machine has not raced since finishing third as a $1.30 favourite in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Pakenham on January 23.

But the sprinter has had two jump-outs since, finishing third behind Wodeton (Wootton Bassett) in his most recent at Flemington last Friday.

Ben Hayes said the team was happy with the progression War Machine had made since being freshened after the Pakenham performance.

“He’s spot on and will bounce back,” Hayes said.

“We were really happy with his jump-out and I thought he was great through the line.

“He didn’t handle the night meeting, and it was a very firm track that night and he jarred up, but he seems right back on track now.”

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