Time For War Heads a Trio of First Crop Stallions to get Off the Mark

Mark Smith - Saturday October 20

Showing all the speed of his Golden Slipper-winning half-sister She Will Reign, the Garry Portelli-trained Time To Reign dominated Saturday's Kirkham Plate (1000m) at Randwick from the front to earn his ill-fated sire Time For War the honour of becoming the first first-season sire to have a winner.

Shortly after Time To Reign's victory, another first season sire, Better Than Ready, sired his first winner with the Kelly Schweida-trained The Odyssey at Doomben, the Grandview Stud's Whittington opened his account when Button Pusher romped home by three and three-quarter lengths at the Gold Coast

Given a confident ride by Rachel King, Time To Reign fought off the weakening favourite Evening Slippers coming into the straight before holding the challenge of Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) by two and a quarter lengths with Evening Slippers with Sweet Idea and Showtime's sister Evening Slippers a length back in third. (photo Steve Hart)


"It is good to see him do that because he is a potential stallion," Portelli told AAP.

"He is very green. He has never been away from Warwick Farm before so the day was all new to him.

"I know he is talented. It was just a question of how he handled things.

"We will look at the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington now."

Purchased by Darby Racing/De Burgh Equine/Portelli Racing for $325,000 out of the Yarraman Park draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Time To Reign is the third foal of the Charge Forward mare Courgette who was a $25,000 Inglis Premier Yearling.

A winner in Sydney, Courgette is a daughter of the unraced Marscay mare Our Farm Girl a sister to Listed Gimcrack Stakes winner Millie and a half-sister to Listed Winter Cup winner Touch Of Sun (Snippets) out of the Group II Reisling Slipper winner and Group 1 AJC Oaks runner-up Sunshine Sally (Cheraw).

Courgette has a yearling filly from the second and final crop of the ill-fated Time For War and was covered by I Am Invincible last spring.

The Group II Pago Pago Stakes and Group II BRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Time For War died from a suspected colic attack at Kitchwin Hills Stud in December 2016.

The son of Snitzel had 53 live foals in his first crop and 68 in his second that are now yearlings.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Luberon Heads Cambridge Stud Saturday Charge
Lance Noble will attempt to add to a strong run of spring form for Cambridge Stud when he sends out five well-credentialled runners in Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s black and gold colours at Pukekohe on Saturday.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.