Machine clicks into overdrive in Gilgai Stakes

War Machine returned to racing in scintillating fashion on Saturday, 4 October with a stunning victory in the G2 Gilgai Stakes down the straight 1,200m course at Flemington.

First-up since becoming the third G1-winning son of Godolphin’s former world champion Harry Angel (IRE), alongside Tom Kitten and Private Harry, the exciting War Machine overpowered his opposition from midfield to beat Bridal Waltz by two lengths with Star Patrol a half-length further away in third place.

Winner of the G1 Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m) at Eagle Farm on 14 June, War Machine clocked a sizzling 1 minute 8.53 seconds and broke 32.50 seconds for his final 600m.

Out of the Australian mare Caserta, War Machine was bred by MDJ Bloodstock Ltd and passed in at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Sale in 2022.

Now trained at Flemington by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the five-year-old has won seven races and been placed four times from 14 starts for prize-money and bonus earnings of $2,664,955.  

War Machine continued a great four weeks for Harry Angel – who also sired Angel Capital (out of Bahamas) to win the Listed Chautauqua Stakes over 1,200m at The Valley on 6 September, Arkansaw Kid (Florabella) to take the G2 Bobbie Lewis Stakes (1,200m) at Flemington and Watchme Win (Watchmespin) to score in the Listed W.H. Wylie Handicap over 1,100m at Morphettville on 13 September.

Fair Angellica (Fair’s Fair) then saluted the following day in the G3 Sceptre Stakes (1,413m) at Doncaster in England.

Since retiring to stud in 2019, Harry Angel has sired 234 winners of 559 races worldwide – including 20 Stakes-race winners of 39 Black-Type events.