War Affair stamps his class in Patron’s Bowl

23 June 2015

Classy New Zealand-bred galloper War Affair is one race away from the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge Triple Crown after he easily landed the second Leg, the $500,000 Gr.1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) on Sunday.

The perfect clean sweep in the new format of the famed series (1st Leg: Stewards’ Cup, 2nd Leg: Patron’s Bowl and 3rd Leg: Singapore Derby) has yet to be etched in the record books.

A son of O’Reilly, War Affair claimed the Stewards’ Cup (1400m) in more laboured fashion than anticipated, but was back to his devastating best when winning on Sunday.

The Alwin Tan-trained four-year-old, who was originally trained by leading trainer Mark Walker, will now tackle the 2000m Singapore Derby, with a tilt at the Gr.1 Cox Plate in October also being considered.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

No Corner last week; this week the Annual Thoroughbred Racing Awards night certainly deserves acknowledgment. It is the second of two nights of measurement of Thoroughbred achievements for the year, with the first focussing on our Breeders’ awards.

9 September 2026

Savabeel’s Group 1 daughter Belle Cheval retired

Belle Cheval, by champion sire Savabeel, enjoyed a stellar career: placing in the NZ 1000 Guineas, winning the Almanzor Trophy and Uncle Remus Stakes, finishing second in The Kiwi, then claiming Group 1 glory in Australia’s Vinery Stud Stakes before retiring to broodmare duties.