Group Success in Singapore

Undisputed Best 2YO in Singapore!!!

We are enormously proud that War Affair - bought by David from Karaka for $70,000 and prepared by Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker - has recorded his second Group victory in Singapore.

He will undoubtedly be crowned Singapore Champion 2YO - how incredible is that?  Mark Walker trained the David Ellis purchased Flying Fulton to be the Champion Polytrack Horse of the Year in 2012 in just his second full year of training in Singapore and now we will have the champion 2YO!

The Singapore Turf Club reported the following on Sunday night regarding Te Akau's latest major success:

War Affair cemented his status as Singapore's undisputed two-year-old champion after he landed Sunday's Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) two months after he won the only other juvenile feature at Kranji, the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m).

Despite resuming from a 72-day break after his resounding win in the last Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series on May 17 and running up against some of the finest two-year-olds (five last-start winners from the other seven), the New Zealand-bred by O'Reilly had garnered plenty of confidence in the market, being backed down to the very short odds of $7, especially with regular partner Joao Moreira up.

Though the result went to script, a weakening War Affair nearly saw his colours lowered by second favourite Desert Fox (Alan Munro) who flew home late on the outside to, however, fall short by a head.

War Affair (Joao Moreira) holds off the late charge of Desert Fox (Alan Munro) to take out the second feature two-year-old event of season 2013.

Probably a little on the underdone side after such a long spell, War Affair noticeably shortened strides in the final 100m after coming off a cosy trail in third on the fence to hit the front at the 400m.

Peace No War (Manoel Nunes), who had led from the outset was coming under siege upon straightening with Rappor (Soo Khoon Beng), who had tracked him up, trying to draw level, but could not quite match up.

War Affair, on the other hand, burst past with relative ease before pulling away to what many thought would lead to another dominant victory, but his lack of race fitness started to tell when he could not quite break away from the pack.

From behind, Desert Fox, who had enjoyed a quiet trail on the rails, was suddenly sprouting wings once Munro angled him out in the clear as he set sail after the hot favourite, but the winning post arrived on time for War Affair who dug deep to become the second horse after Mr Big (2011) to complete the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe Juvenile Championship double.

War Affair won with a head to spare from Desert Fox with Peace No War holding on for third another length away. The winning time was 1min 10.29secs.

Silver Dollar (John Powell) looked like he was making not much headway at the 300m, but suddenly sprouted wings late to run fourth another 1 ½ lengths away.

Jockey Joao Moreira, trainer Mark Walker and Pam Sew Chaw from Warplan Racing proudly show off the silverware following the victory of War Affair in the Juvenile Championship.

Trainer Mark Walker was breathing a huge sigh of relief after the photo finish swung in his favour by a slender margin.

“After his last win, we have kept him fresh and he even trialled nicely two weeks ago,” said the Kiwi mentor.

“He might have switched off in the last bit. The second horse was coming pretty quickly, but luckily he held on.  He's a typical New Zealand Horse who came to us from Karaka and it's David Ellis (Te Akau Racing supremo) who bought him.

“Whatever he did today, he will just keep improving as a racehorse. He's probably looking for 1400m or 1600m now.”

Moreira admitted he might have sent War Affair to the lead a touch too soon, but his sheer courage saw him prevail for a well-deserved success.

“He's such a nice horse. He put himself in the right spot throughout the race,” said the Brazilian jockey.

“He was probably a little too fresh today and that's why we were closer to the pace.  I think I may have gone in front too soon, but he was going so well that I just had to let him go. He lost his concentration a little bit in the last 100m, and the other horse coming on the outside was flashing home.

“But he held on very well in the end. I am confident he can step up in distance in his future races.  He's clearly the best two-year-old and I'm just so lucky to be his rider.”

War Affair has now recorded three wins from four starts for stakes earnings in excess of $330,000 for the Warplan Racing Stable.