Champion jockey Joao Moreira was booked months in advance for Friday night's impressive Aushorse Golden Horseshoe win aboard War Affair at Singapore.
Trainer Mark Walker told Moreira well before his son of O'Reilly debuted last month that he was the juvenile to ride this year and the Brazilian native shrewdly heeded the advice.
“From the first day he [Walker] said he was a very special horse and I should be riding him, and that he'd be tough to beat as a two-year-old,” Moreira said.
“He was right, the horse just won a Group 2 race and we are happy for that.”
Moreira settled patiently in midfield aboard War Affair, letting him down at the top of the straight.
A decisive two-length margin from Silver Dollar was the end result. Mexborough Boy was next best back in third spot.“On paper the pace of the race seemed to be very fast, and that's how they went too,” Moreira said.
“If he was a bit closer he would have won anyway.”
War Affair was comfortably held when fourth on debut four weeks ago, but neither Walker nor Moreira were concerned.
A fortnight ago the horse impressively broke through .
“We knew after his first start where he was very very green he was still able to produce a good race,” Moreira said.
“The race after that he showed us he had so much potential.”
Walker plans to freshen the horse up before potentially contesting the Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) in July.
“Looking at the type he's just going to keep improving with age – he's got a very exciting future,” Walker said.
“I'll give him two weeks out regardless and just map out a program after that. He's such a big scopey horse and whatever he does now he can only but improve.”
