O’Reilly’s Son Tops In Singapore

20 May 2013

A son of O’Reilly has established himself as the leading first-season performer in Singapore following his latest victory. War Affair left no doubt he is the top two-year-old with his runaway win in the Gr.2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe at Kranji.

The Mark Walker-trained youngster was ridden to his latest success on Friday evening by champion rider Joao Moreira following their previous victory in the Inglis Sydney Juvenile Stakes. He is now the only dual winner in the six-race Singapore Golden Horseshoe series.

“He’s a pretty exciting horse,” Walker said. “He’s kept improving with age and he’s got an exciting future in Singapore. Being by O’Reilly, who is a great sire, I think he’ll go over more ground here. Two runs ago, he was not quite mature as an individual. He’s a big scopey sort and whatever he does now, he will improve for sure. He will have two weeks out and I will the map out a programme for him.

War Affair was purchased by David Ellis out of Trelawney Stud’s Premier Sale Karaka draft in 2012. “He’s proven a good buy. I’d also like to thank (owners) Mr and Mrs Ong, who have been great supporters of mine from day one,” Walker said.

Jockey Joao Moreira said his confidence level was at an all-time high during the race seeing how well he was travelling with cover behind the speed. “Things just panned out beautifully for him. All I had to do is keep him out of trouble. I could have been a little closer to the pace and he would still have won. It was good to be there, give him a chance to learn how to run between runners.”

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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.

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