War Machine has cemented his status as one of the country’s rising sprint stars with an emphatic Group 1 victory in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm, paving the way for a potential Hayes family showdown in The Everest.
Formally in the care of the late Mike Moroney, War Machine has been under the care of Ben, Will and JD Hayes for his past three starts and remains undefeated for the brothers after taking out Brisbane’s marquee race on Saturday.
Ben Hayes indicated they would happily entertain any potential interest from Everest slot holders, despite the confirmed presence of Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising in the $20 million feature.
Ka Ying Rising is trained by their father, David, and is an early odds-on favourite.
“They’re all the problems we’ve got now,” Ben Hayes said.
“I might be having to take on my old man’s horse, Ka Ying Rising, but you’ve got to be in it to win it.”
With Blake Shinn sidelined by injury, Tim Clark picked up the plum mount on the $3.20 favourite and was able to position him three-wide with cover from his wide draw.
The four-year-old burst clear in the straight and staved off an initial surge from eventual third placegetter Private Eye ($11) and another late challenge from runner-up Yellow Brick ($41) to score.
“He travelled so well. I probably let him loose a bit early but it was his grand final, there is no tomorrow, so I wasn’t going to die wondering,” said Clark, who won his first Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) aboard Alligator Blood in 2022.
“He really let rip. Maybe wandered a bit late. I could feel Yellow Brick coming late and he surged again.
“I love getting up to Queensland and to win the ‘Straddie’ has just iced what has been a great carnival.”
Ben Hayes said War Machine’s lead-up to Saturday’s 1400m showpiece had been smooth and the horse did everything right on race day.
He added that people expected the son of Harry’s Angel to have a massive frame due to his name but said he was more athletically conformed, similar to stable flag bearer and multiple Group 1 winner Mr Brightside.
“They expect him to be a big, powerful horse but he’s got a physique like Mr Brightside so hopefully he is the same,” Hayes.
