Bennett Racing’s exciting Irish bred 2yo Warnie lived up to his very promising Royal Ascot debut, with an easy 4L win at Bellestown over the weekend. Starting at short odds of 10/11 fav, the Joseph O’Brien trained 2yo colt never gave his backers any doubts putting the race away inside the 200m.
Warnie (IRE) was having his 2nd start since an unlucky 9th beaten 3 3/4L in the Listed Chesham Stks at Royal Ascot, where he endured a checkered run over the last 300m.
Stretching out to 1600m at Bellestown, Warnie jumped well under Dylan McMonagle and was soon 3 out running 3rd in the early stages. Using his big long stride well, the colt was always travelling sweetly and on straightening for the run home in the short Bellestown straight, Dylan switched him back to the inside and the colt exploded away to win impressively. His devastating turn of foot had both Joseph and Dylan praise the colt and Joseph highlighted that he would enter for the Gr1 National Stks 1400m in September.
Warnie (IRE)named after the late great Shane Warne, is a son of Highland Reel (IRE), a four-time group 1 winner as a 3yo and in 2016 he was the champion older horse in Ireland. Highland Reel (IRE) raced in 7 different countries and was a 7-time group 1 winner. He also held the record for the greatest amount of prize money earned by a racehorse trained in Europe.
Higland Reel’s dam is the Australian bred Gr1 Oaks placed Hveger. She is a ½ sister to Gr1 champions Haradasun & Elvstroem.
Warnie (IRE) dam Cumbfree was a winner at 2 & 4yo and she is a daughter of Gr1 winner Footstepinthesand who was an unbeaten 2yo, Gr1 classic-winning miler & proven Gr.1 sire. Cumbfree herself is a ½ sister to the listed winner On Call now a 6 time winner of over 300k in prizemoney. They are both from the champion sire Moto mare Cumbrian Princess herself a ½ sister to the Gr2 Royal Ascot winner Hellvelyn.
Warnie (IRE) was a 65k guineas purchase for Blandford Btk / Bennett Racing from the 2023 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale on 4th May and identified by Blandford Btk’s Stuart Boman as one of the sale’s best breeze’s. Stuart has been instrumental in all of Bennett Racing’s International purchases including 980k earner Sibaaq and the very exciting Fawkner Park, unbeaten in 4 Australian runs.
The colt was entrusted to Leading Trainer Joseph O’Brien who had the colt ready to run so well at Royal Ascot just 51 days after being purchased.
Warnie (IRE) also becomes Bennett Racing’s 2nd International winner after Irving Lipshitz who was a 5 time winner in Singapore for Hall Of Fame Trainer Lee Freedman.
Warnie is a serious contender for the English and Irish Classic 3yo races as he has a pedigree full of Classic winners and Gr1 Champions.
Congratulations to all owners in Warnie and a special thankyou again to Stuart Bowman for identifying and recommending the colt.