Kurtis Pertab wasn’t short of options for War Queen (NZ) (Proisir) before he settled on a return trip to the Central Districts for his impressive debut winner.
The Matamata trainer nominated the daughter of Proisir for Wanganui and Te Rapa on Saturday, and Matamata on Sunday, and has confirmed the former venue as his next port of call.
War Queen will bid to keep her perfect record intact when she steps out in the Hirepool 3YO (1340m) following her comfortable victory at Hawera last month at the first time of asking.
“She’s going to run at Wanganui where she’s drawn barrier four, I paid up at Matamata and more than anything it was to see how the draws lined up,” Pertab said.
War Queen was handed barrier 14 on her home track so the decision was made to head south with Leah Hemi booked for the mount.
“She has got handy gate speed and she’ll be able to get forward,” Pertab said.
“It was definitely no surprise what she did on debut, it was expected, and I thought she was my best.
“She had trialled up well and had been working well going into the race. She’s a filly that has her quirks, and still does, but she overcame that and won very well.”
Pertab said War Queen required careful management as she wasn’t a robust type.
“She’s a lightly framed filly, there’s not a lot to her and we have to be cautious and not over work her at home.
“There’s definitely plenty of ability there and she’s showing good signs and signs that she’s going to go on with it.”
War Queen is raced by breeder Rich Hill Stud and is a half-sister to six winners, including the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) placegetter Masetto (NZ) (Cape Blanco).
They are out of Montjeu’s daughter Passchendaele (NZ), a quality mare who was successful on five occasions, with victory in the Gr.2 Waikato Gold Cup (2400m) her stand-out performance.
“I’ve done breakers for Rich Hill in the past and they’ve been good clients to me, but she is the first horse I’ve ever taken to the races for them, so it was good to kick off with a win and hopefully get a few more,” Pertab said.
“As long as the filly learns to relax in her races and not overdo it, I’d say that she can stretch out a bit more in trip.
“I’m not sure how far because she has got a lot of speed, but I could see her getting out to a mile.”
Pertab will be hoping War Queen can strike another winning blow for the stable following the victory at Trentham last weekend of Luminance (NZ) (Time Test).
The Time Test two-year-old defeated the older horses over 1200m in testing conditions and has now been set for an age group feature. “She’ll go to the Ryder Stakes (Listed, 1200m), the Castletown (Listed, 1200m) will come up a bit too soon for her,” Pertab said.