War Machine back to brilliant best in Harry White Stakes

A year after taking on Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) in the Gr.1 The Everest (1200m), the connections of War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) were happy to be a big fish in a smaller pond on Saturday.

The Group One-winning gelding returned to winning form with a determined performance to take out the A$240,000 Gr.3 Harry White Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

The New Zealand-bred War Machine earned his way into last year’s Everest with seven wins from his first 14 starts, including the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), Gr.2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) and Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m). He went on to finish 10^th in The Everest, three and a half lengths behind Ka Ying Rising.

Through the 12 months since that race, War Machine had another six starts for a 12^th in the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), third in the Gr.2 Australia Stakes (1200m), 11^th in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), third in the Gr.3 The Heath (1100m) and 14^th in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1200m).

War Machine bounced back to his brilliant best on Saturday in the hands of jockey Mark Zahra.

After taking up a handy position tucked in behind a line of four horses contesting the pace through the early stages of the race, Zahra drove War Machine through an opening one off the rail and burst to the lead at the top of the straight.

The challengers tried their hardest to reel him in through the final 300m, led by A$13 million earner Private Eye (Al Maher), but War Machine dug in and refused to relinquish his advantage. He held on to beat Private Eye by a head.

“He began well and had the run of the race,” Zahra said. “He just had to hang on for grim death late when the good old horse came at him.”

War Machine is trained by the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and JD Hayes.

“He’s been a super horse for us,” Ben Hayes said. “He’s been a bit frustrating since winning a few straight. Things haven’t quite gone his way with wide barriers and unsuitable tracks. We had scratched him four times before we found the right race. He had a good run today, a great ride from Mark. It was good to get a class drop into a race like that.

“I was very happy with how he relaxed in behind the speed. He probably had to force a run early, and he hit the lead early, but I loved the way he stuck on and hit the line. I feel we’ve got him back on track and we can target some nice races.

“I would like to see how he pulls up before deciding anything, because we do have the option of coming back in trip or going up in trip. He’s got a lot of options. He’s a good 1400m horse, and he’s good down the straight as well. We’ll have a good talk to the ownership group, and we’ll make that decision over a nice drink and enjoy the win.”

Bred by MDJ Bloodstock Ltd, War Machine was offered for sale at both the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales and the Ready To Run Sale via the Wallace family’s Ardsley Stud, but failed to reach his $100,000 reserve on both occasions.

By Harry Angel out of the winning Hussonet mare Caserta, the gelding subsequently went into training with Jim Wallace and won his only trial at Foxton by six lengths before his private purchase.

War Machine has now had 21 starts for eight wins, six placings and A$3.56 million in stakes.