Ancient Warrior Wins the Fight

Te Akau trainer Mark Walker levelled again at the top of the premiership in Singapore, with 31 wins this year, when Ancient Warrior (4 g Iffraaj - Nuance, by Star Way) recorded a dominant two-length victory on Sunday at the Kranji racecourse.

Owned and bred by New Zealand Racing Board member Greg McCarthy, Ancient Warrior notched his second win from seven starts after being given a perfect ride by Shafiq Rusof in the $38,000 Kranji Stakes D over 1200 metres on the poly track.

Ancient Warrior paid $19.60 & $3.50 on the NZ   TAB.

“He received quite an interrupted run and almost fell at his previous start and it was great, this time, for him to be handy from the jump,” said McCarthy, who was in attendance when Ancient Warrior last raced on Easter Sunday.

“He was able to keep out of trouble and it was great to see the turn of pace that he had, to put four lengths on them in the straight. It would've been good to have seen him win when we were up there last time, but you can't pick when you have your wins.

“I'm not sure he's a 1:09 sprinter, but it was a 1:11 race yesterday and it played into his hands. We're still quite hopeful that he'll go over 1400m and a mile.”

McCarthy bred the dam of Ancient Warrior, Nuance, from his Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner Sabbatical (Bakharoff) and although winning only once - an impressive performance over 1200 metres at Trentham - she has been a very good producer of horses to win sixteen races thus far.

“We've had the family since 1990 and it's always great to get another winner. Nuance was the first horse I bred from and she has good genetics,” McCarthy said.

“He's (Ancient Warrior) always been a big horse (16.2hh) and Mark (Walker) has given him time and handling him well. He's not over racing him and I've been very happy with my contact and communications with Mark.

“While we were in Singapore we also spent time with (stable foreman) Gus Clutterbuck at the races and we certainly enjoyed that.

“He's picked up a cheque in five of his seven runs and we were very pleased with the win (taking his stakes' earnings to S$64,100). We don't see him as a champion, but feel he is capable of winning more races. When we saw him, he looked very well, has obviously adapted to being in Singapore, and we were happy when we saw him.”

Mark Walker said: “He's (Ancient Warrior) a big horse that keeps on maturing and hopefully he can end up going through the grades. He still has to strengthen into his big frame.

“There was a bit of a bias, yesterday, towards horses on the speed and it was a good ride by Shafiq as he summed things up pretty quick.  He was unlucky last start, been consistent and he's heading in the right direction. It was a good win and hopefully we can get a win next with him in Class 4.

“We've a string of seconds recently,” said Walker, with regards the premiership standings. “We're first equal on wins, but leading by virtue of seconds and going pretty well.”

(main photo - Ancient Warrior's first win)