Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
The Western Front (NZ) (War Decree) picked up his first stakes victory on Sunday, holding tough to win the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) in a three-way thriller.
A rapid improver this time in, the son of War Decree has now won four of eight starts in his elongated campaign and taken his rating from 69 to 84, a number that will rise again after Sunday’s success.
Luke Currie gave The Western Front ($2.80) every chance in the one-out one-back spot, and he travelled superbly into the race, but Tajanis ($15) offered strong resistance first-up for Charlotte Littlefield, while Zibulon ($8) got very close on the outside.
But the Lindsay Park-trained stayer stuck his nose out where it counted for favourite backers, delighting his trainers, who have at times questioned how genuine the talented galloper is.
“We were a lot closer, and he loomed into it. What I loved about the win, and I’m sure my brothers will agree, is that he fought it out,” Ben Hayes said.
“He’s often been a horse that’s been a bit of a thinker, and he likes to throw away these sorts of races.
“But he was so genuine, he tried, he handled the track beautifully and he ran out a strong 3200 metres. Well done to the Ace (Bloodstock) boys.”
The Western Front was bred by the late Kevin Hickman and is by Inglewood Stud stallion War Decree out of the winning Zacinto mare Rosaeflora.
Offered on Gavelhouse.com as a weanling in June 2021, The Western Front was bought by Ralph Manning for just $1,300. The gelding had two trials for Manning, winning the second one at Cambridge in May of 2024 before being sold to Ace Bloodstock.
