Winning stakes habit continues

The Bjorn Baker-trained War Eternal has wasted no time in doubling his black-type tally.

He broke through for the first time at Doomben when successful in the Listed Bernborough Handicap and followed up at Eagle Farm with a hard-fought victory in the Listed Spear Chief Handicap over 1500 metres.

Our homebred son of Pierro had previously placed three times at Group level before the seven-year-old’s hot run of form in Queensland.

“He’s a beautiful horse and been a stable stalwart, he’s an absolute ripper,” Baker’s bloodstock advisor Jim Clarke said.

War Eternal was quickly into stride for rider Rachel King from a wide barrier to settle near the pace and produced a determined finish to win and take his lifetime earnings beyond the million-dollar mark.

“He ended up in a great spot, she’s in fantastic form and a world class rider,” Clarke said.

We sold War Eternal for $160,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and he’s the first foal of the Fastnet Rock mare Aleria.

She is out of the dual stakes winner and G1 Robert Sangster Stakes placegetter Impressive Eagle, a half-sister to the G1 Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way.

Aleria produced a filly by Almanzor last season and is now in foal to Chaldean, our multiple Group 1-winning son of the mighty Frankel.

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