VRC Derby aspirant Engine Of War (NZ) (Circus Maximus) made a winning Australian debut from the quarters of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday over 1500m.
The son of Circus Maximus finished third at his only start in New Zealand for Andrew Forsman before being purchased by micro-share syndicator MyRacehorse.
Transferred across the Tasman, Engine Of War showed good ability in two jump outs before his winning performance at Sandown.
Ridden by Mark Zahra, Engine Of War sat behind a modest tempo and found enough to score from the fast finishing There Were Roses (NZ) (Darci Brahma), a fellow Kiwi import.
“It was a good effort,” Kent Jnr said. “He raced fairly tractably. He’s a very big raw product.
“He looked to get to the front fairly easily and then he didn’t know what to do and how to put the race away, but he’s only got upside.
“The second horse was very good behind him.
“He’s a very big, 16.2½ three-year-old and all leg.
“I hope he stays, he looks like he should, so fingers crossed.”
MyRacehorse sourced the horse through bloodstock agent Andrew Williams but Kent Jnr said their scouts had also identified the horse.
“We were chasing him at the same time through our avenues, and it ended up that MyRacehorse bought him and we joined together after that,” Kent Jnr said.
“He was purchased, had a five-week spell and he has then had a full preparation to this point.
“I’m rapt for the owners and we’ve got some good clients on our side and of course, MyRacehorse they’re so good for this game. They would be more than half the crowd here today, you can always find your horse on course, just look for the mob.
“He’s got to do everything right and I think every horse in this field was probably touted as a Derby type, so we’ll be aiming that way.”
A graduate of last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, Engine Of War was originally purchased by Andrew Forsman for $50,000 from the draft of Ohukia Lodge.
A son of triple Group One winning miler Circus Maximus, who resides at Windsor Park Stud, Engine Of War is out of the Lonhro mare Prove Your Worth, a daughter of stakes winner Kiss From A Rose. Runner-up There Were Roses was purchased after a third placing at her only trial for Samantha Finnegan at Waipukurau.
