War Chant (USA) sired his fourth winner in three days when War Gem collared Duchess Of Gossip in the Schweppes Hcp (1300m) at Belmont on Saturday.
Brad Parnham had gone for home on Duchess Of Gossip (All American) after she had been caught wide in a slowly-run race. His brother Steve set out after the mare on War Gem and got there with a stride or two to spare.
War Gem (Photo / Western Racepix) races in the Yarradale Stud colours for Lyn Sayers in partnership with Terry O’Connor and Mark Connelly who were colleagues of her husband Ron at Ausdrill. They also part-owned War Saint who won the G2 WA Guineas (1600m) in 2019.
Trainer Neville Parnham purchased War Gem for $170,000 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions and he’s repaid that price-tag with interest after 18 starts although it’s been anything but plain sailing with the 4yo gelding.
“He’s been plagued by hoof problems and a bar shoe with plenty of swimming helps ration the workload,” Parnham revealed after his previous win at Ascot in December. “He has loads of ability but it can be hard getting him fit enough for a mile and further.”
War Gem stretched out to 1600m this time last year when he won at Belmont and followed up with a fifth in the LR Belmont Guineas. He’s one of four winners from Viscount mare Diamonds’n’dreams and that cross has also produced LR Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic winner War Room.
Diamonds’n’dreams has a War Chant yearling colt that was a $50,000 buy for Loloma Farms at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions. She also has a War Chant filly foal and was bred back to Playing God last September.
Second-dam Dreamworks (Maroof) won a G2 Royal Stakes in New Zealand and third-dam Slanchyvah (Kaapstad) won a LR Doomben Classic.
Fellow War Chant 4yo Without Reg had doubled up at Northam and Belmont in May and Ginger Baker completed a Belmont hat-trick for fellow Yarradale sire Gingerbread Man on June 10. The winning run has been augmented by former Yarradale sires Scandal Keeper (Position Of Power) and Bradbury’s Luck (The Lucky Chip & Love Drunk Baby).
Yarradale’s Perth Magic Millions graduates have also weighed in recently with Weaponize (Patronize) at Pinjarra and Final Authority (Zoustar) at Belmont. War Chant (Danzig) stands at Yarradale for $8,250 alongside Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) at $5,500. Both fees (inc GST).
