After a luckless end to his Sydney campaign, the focus for talented stayer Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree) is firmly on the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr said the rising five-year-old gelding has been sent for a quick break before he returns to work to be set for the spring majors.
The runaway winner of the 2024 Gr.1 Queensland Derby finished second in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) behind Alalcance, before running 10th in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes and 13th in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup.
Kent Jnr said on each occasion, Warmonger had excuses.
“We’ve been very proud of the horse. Things didn’t go right in his two Group One races in Sydney,” Kent Jnr said.
“In the Tancred, he was trapped three wide working very hard and then in the Sydney Cup, he also had to work hard from an outside gate and he copped a big bump from Tom Berry, who copped a suspension for it.
“He’s gone for a quick break and he’ll be back better, stronger and bigger for the spring with the Cups as his focus.”
Kent Jnr said he and training partner Mick Price’s sparingly raced, smart galloper Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) has also gone for a brief let-up after he suffered a slight setback with a bit of cellulitis in a hind leg.
“There was nothing serious, but it just meant he had a couple of easy weeks. He’s a 100-rated horse and it doesn’t make sense having him in work for May and June. He’ll be back in work on Monday week as the spring horses start to come back into work,” he said.
Globe had one start during autumn, finishing 13th in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap after having had a torrid run, after winning the Listed Cranbourne Cup and then finishing third in the Listed Ballarat Cup late last year.