The
race to stand sire sons of red hot stallion War Front is well and truly on with New Zealand
farm Highview Stud moving to secure Sweet Orange (USA).
Brent and Louise Gillovic are delighted to announce the arrival of Sweet Orange
(who raced in Ireland as Warning Flag), an internationally performed Hong Kong Group
One winner by the Danzig sire War Front, recently dubbed as "the leading
commercial stallion in the world".
War Front commands a $US150, 000 fee at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm in
Kentucky and is the sire of six individual top-flight winners, including
Declaration Of War (Juddmonte International 2002 and Queen Anne Stakes), who
retires to Coolmore in Australia this season at a fee of A$27,500.
War Front's yearlings are attracting major interest in the Northern Hemisphere,
with a colt selling at Keeneland last year for $US2.5 million, while another
son sold for a European record of 1,150,000 guineas at the recent Tattersalls
Breeze Up Sale at Newmarket.
Foaled in the United States in 2008, Sweet Orange began his racing career in
Ireland as Warning Flag, and here had four two-year-old starts for two wins,
including the Listed Star Appeal Stakes.
He was also runner-up in the Gr.3 Killavullan Stakes and was rated 119p by
Timeform as a two-year-old.
"He was then sold to Hong Kong businessman Tony Tong and was transferred to the
top stable of David Ferraris" Brent Gillovic said.
Sweet Orange raced successfully at the elite level in Hong Kong and his career
highlight was victory in the Hong Kong Classic Mile HK Gr 1, in which he defeated
the high-class performers Fay Fay and Admiration.
Sweet Orange stands at a fee of $5,000 plus GST.