War Eternal (NZ) Adds Wayne Wilson to Superb Queensland Campaign

In the space of less than a month, Karaka 2020 graduate War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) has collected three black-type victories and A$300,000 in stakes during the Queensland Winter Carnival.

The seven-year-old added Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm to his earlier successes in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m) on May 16 and Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) on June 5.

War Eternal has now had 40 starts for eight wins, eight placings and A$1.18m in stakes. He was offered by his breeders Cambridge Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2020, where Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock bought him for $160,000. He has earned more than 10 times that amount on the racetrack.

Previously second in the Group Three Spring Stakes (1600m), third in the Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) and fourth in the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) during his three-year-old season, War Eternal had to wait until late in his seven-year-old season to break through for his first black-type win. But now the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding has won three in a row.

The Wayne Wilson came only seven days after the Spear Chief Handicap, in which War Eternal was clearly headed in the straight but fought back bravely to win in a photo finish. Saturday brought more of the same.

Ridden again by Rachel King, War Eternal kicked strongly off the home turn and took command, but suddenly the favourite Yellow Jersey (Dubawi) charged up alongside him, got his head in front and looked likely to race away.

But just like last week, War Eternal’s toughness and will to win shone through. He clawed his way back alongside Yellow Jersey and pulled ahead in the final few strides to win by a neck.

“He’s tough, isn’t he? I think he likes it,” King said. “He gives them a little bit of a false sense of security in that he lets them get past him and he just comes back.

“He’s very tough. On the back-up, I knew I was on a fit horse and he was comfortable on the track today.”

Baker was represented at Eagle Farm on Saturday by Jim Clarke.

“This horse has been one of the finds of the carnival,” Clarke said. “Three stakes wins in a row, at a ripe old age. And he’s amazing that, for a horse of his age, he has that much in him to the line.

“Like the other day, he got headed and fought back. He’s tough, tenacious and he’s got a lot of heart.”

Vendor	Cambridge Stud
Purchaser	Bjorn Baker Racing / Clarke Bloodstock (New South Wales)
Breeding	Pierro – Aleria
Sale	Lot 422, Karaka 2020 Book 1, $160,000
Breeder	B J Lindsay MNZM & Mrs J E A Lindsay
Owner	Bjorn Baker Racing, Mr A D Mathews, Mr B E Rissetto, Mr W J Kelly, Mr C E Holt, Mr G J Viney, Mr J A Caccamo, Mr J Gialantzis, Mr K R Ferrel, Mr M T Mathews, Mr P Gialantzis, Mr R J Coleman, Recount Racing, Mr R Bow