Trainer Gerald Ryan has confirmed that Time For War will return to the races in the 2014 Roman Consul Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday after he trialed well at Rosehill Gardens this morning.
Time For War recorded two wins at Group 2 level during his juvenile campaign. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Time For War contested the same trial over 900 metres as Rubick this morning and he took up the running from his more fancied stablemate before finishing within a length and a half of the Coolmore Stud Stakes hopeful.
Ryan told Sky Racing HQ this morning that Time For War had previously performed well when given a trial on Tuesday before running on Saturday and he is confident that the Snitzel colt will be very competitive when he takes on the likes of Hallowed Crown and Brazen Beau in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) this weekend.
“He trialed on the Tuesday and on a Saturday he won and he trialed on a Saturday and won the Pago Pago first-up,” Ryan said
“He is probably still a run away, but I know that he has improved from the trip to Queensland and I think that he is one of the most underrated two-year-olds in New South Wales.
“He has won two Group 2’s, he ran fourth in the Sires and he was only beaten 2.4 by Almalad in the 1600 metre race at Eagle Farm.
“It was too far for him, but we will keep him back as a sprinter this time and I think that you will see a very handy three-year-old.
“He will be very competitive Saturday.”
Time For War surprised punters and his trainer alike when he made his racing debut with an all the way win in the CFMEU Mining & Energy Plate (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 2 last year and he proved that was no fluke when he took out the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on March 29.
The talented juvenile finished a credible fourth in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 and he failed to fire in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 10 before he returned to winning form in the Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1350m) at the same venue on May 24.
Time For War failed to run out the trip in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 7, but he was still able to battle on for sixth and the form coming out of that race has been franked by Almalad in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) and Looks Like The Cat in the Group 3 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).
