Warwoven Dominant in Golden Rose Triumph

In a performance described by his history making jockey as "dominant" and by his in-form trainer as "very special," Warwoven (AUS) provided a huge success for both connections of him and his sire when he scored an utterly dominant win in the Golden Rose Stakes (G1) Sept. 26 at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. Having become his sire's first group race winner when landing the Pago Pago Stakes (G3) at Rosehill back in March, the Bjorn Baker-trained colt hit new heights here as he provided Cambridge Stud's second-season sire Sword of State (AUS) with an early group 1 victory. A sixth placing in the Golden Slipper (G1) followed on from Warwoven's Pago Pago triumph in what was to be his final outing as a juvenile. Returning for his 3-year-old campaign, the colt ran fifth behind Guest House (AUS) in the San Domenico Stakes (G3) Aug. 29 before a last-start success in the Run To The Rose (G2) where he defeated St Gotthard (AUS)—something he would do again in Saturday's stallion-making contest. Ridden by his usual partner Rachel King, Warwoven was sent off the AU$6 third elect and raced fourth on the rail throughout before finding himself slightly short of room rounding the home bend. However, when a gap appeared the colt was quick to take advantage, sweeping to the front before clearing away inside the final 150 meters to run out a ready 3 1/4-length winner over old rival St Gotthard. There was a further nose back to Yulong's Under Focus (AUS), who had been front rank for most of the 1,400-meter (about 7-furlong) trip. Guest House, who was sent off the favorite, was never involved in the finish and ran sixth. "He was dominant," King, who in winning the race made history as the first female rider to lift the Golden Rose trophy, said. "He's very good, we know he's very good, and it was just very satisfying for him to go out there and do that today." The win was Warwoven's fifth from just eight starts, and took his prize money earnings past the AU$1.1 million mark. "This is very special," Baker said. "I thought he paraded superbly. He's so good-looking. He's so fast. I don't even have to sell him, he sold himself. So many of my great friends are in this horse, and you saw an amazing performance today. "A lot of form analysts out there, you are allowed your own opinion, that is what makes our game so great. But I thought this colt was right in it. "He's a serious horse and now we are looking at the Caulfield Guineas. Even the Cox Plate. His mother was very good at 2,000 meters, and he relaxed beautifully today. But one step at a time." The colt is one of two individual stakes winners from the first crop of just 26 runners for Sword of State, who was 2021 champion 2-year-old male in New Zealand after landing the Sistema Stakes (G1) as a juvenile. He currently stands at Cambridge for a fee of NZ$50,000.