O’Reilly Son Wins 2YO War

29 July 2013

O’Reilly’s precocious son War Affair has confirmed his standing as the two-year-old champion of Singapore with his latest success. The youngster claimed last night’s Gr 3 Juvenile Championship two months after he won the Gr 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe.

Probably a little on the underdone side after a lengthy break, War Affair noticeably shortened stride in the final 100 metres after coming off a cosy trail in third on the fence to hit the front at the 400m. Trainer Mark Walker breathed a huge sigh of relief after the photo finish had 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,” he said. “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 (Te Akau principal) David Ellis who bought him. He will just keep improving as a racehorse. He’s probably looking for 1400m or 1600m now.” War Affair has now posted three wins from four starts for stakes earnings in excess of $330,000 for the Warplan Racing Stable.

Tivaci’s Movie Night steals the show at Newcastle

A sister to the Gr.1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) winner Never Been Kissed, the Waikato Stud-bred and raced Movie Night (NZ) was rewarded for her consistency, breaking her maiden with an all-the-way win over 1400m at Newcastle for trainer Tom Charlton.

9 July 2026

Oilman’s stud stake could change course of NZ breeding

Eighteen months ago, Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt walked through the lush Waikato pasture of Matamata’s Balcarres Stud and announced he wanted some just like it for his own.

Today he has-360 acres about a mile down the road which has been transformed from a dairy farm to one of New Zealand’s leading horse and cattle breeding establishments.