Trainer Paul Peter made it two from two features on Classic Day as the Sporting Post best bet War Room maintained his unbeaten record with a gutsy effort to win the TAB R150 000 Listed Storm Bird Stakes over the Turffontein 1000m.
After his disappointment on topweight Miracle Flight in the Ruffian Stakes a half hour earlier, SA log-leading Winning Form jockey Warren Kennedy made no mistakes, getting to work early on War Room, as his chief challenger Slalom Queen stalked him down his inside.
Warren Kennedy guides War Room to a popular win (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
“He found the 1000m quick. He got away with it at his first two starts. I had to get him into it early. He responded. He would have fought them off. He is a lovely horse,” said Kennedy afterwards.
A popular pick in the carryover Pick 6 which reached R7 666 049, War Room (13-20) held off the nerve wracking sneaky challenge of dual placed maiden Winter Stories (16-1) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 56, 98 secs – slower than his fairer sex stablemate earlier.
Sean Tarry’s highly regarded debut winner Slalom Queen (47-20) appeared to have every chance, despite rearing in the gates. She was a length further back in third.
A R120 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, War Room is a son of the Vogel Vlei Stud-based Judpot (A.P.Indy). The Ndoro Stud-bred colt has now won three from three and his stakes bank totals R206 000.
Out of the unraced Joshua Dancer mare Magnificent Maggie, he was a R120 000 buy from the 2019 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.
He should prefer the 1200m.
