Warmonger coasts to easy G1 Queensland Derby victory

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr.’s Warmonger dominated this year’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m). The three-year-old gelding won by a remarkable 10-½ lengths, surpassing Pride Of Jenni’s massive 6-½ length victory at the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April.  
 
Warmonger entered the race at $10, making him one of the outsiders for the Queensland showcase. Autumn Angel ($2.70), the race favourite, finished in a disappointing ninth place. 

Warmonger dominates 

Through 300m, the Group 1 Queensland Derby was anyone’s race. Navy King ($12) and Gold Bullion ($35) took turns in first with a jockeying pack just behind. By the 1000m mark, it was Navy King’s race to win. The Symon Wilde-trained gelding led the pack by at least six lengths.  
 
While Navy King was building his lead, Warmonger was roaring from the back of the pack to the front.  
 
With 800m left, Warmonger turned on the jets and left the pack in the dust. Blake Shinn and his horse quickly closed the gap on Navy King with an impressive sprint. Passing Navy King wasn’t enough though, Shinn and Warmonger kept up the pace and destroyed the competition, winning by 10-½ lengths.  
 
After his strong start, Navy King finished in 5th. Moonlight Magic came runner-up to Warmonger. Felix The Scat finished third.  
 
The Queensland Derby is the third straight race Warmonger has placed in.  

Starting place helped horse, says jockey 

At $10 odds Warmonger came into this race as one of the big outsiders with the betting sites. His jockey Blake Shinn credits the starting position near the barrier for helping him and Warmonger defy the odds.  
 
“The inside is really cutting up. The barrier played into our hands,” Shinn said.  
 
“It was a bit of a track gallop for him. He had his ears pricked down the back. He could see Navy King up in front and when I asked him to extend from the 500 (metre mark), he just kept building. 
 
“He’s been putting up some great displays in running second and it was really well deserved.” 

Trainer praises jockey performance 

Warmonger was shipped from his stable in Cranbourne to Brisbane last week. His trainer, Mick Price, said the horse had settled well, but he was worried about how Warmonger would handle the track.  
 
“The horse took the travel well to Queensland, but the query was getting through the wet track,” Price said.  
 
“Blake (Shinn) said it (the track) was more like a heavy than a soft (track). 
 
“During the race I’m thinking, ‘What are you thinking here Blake’, but he just made all the right calls, by putting him into the race. 
 
“When that leader got away you had to be near the pace and in the end it was just a huge staying performance by the horse. He obviously handled the ground very well. He’s a kiwi so he was born in it, but he clearly relished the stamina test today.”