Owners, trainers and breeders have numerous options at the Magic Millions Winter Sale this Sunday if they want to buy into War Chant (USA).
Yarradale Stud’s Unreserved Reduction at the Swan Valley Sale includes foals, yearlings and mares by War Chant plus mares in foal to War Chant. They’re part of a successful breeding program set in place by Yarradale owner Ron Sayers.
The ASB lists War Chant as the only remaining son of Danzig at stud in Australia. Ironically, the first son of Danzig imported to Australia was Slant (USA) who arrived out here in 1986 to stand at Coral Park Stud in North Dandalup.
That was four years before Danzig trailblazer Danehill first shuttled Down Under to turn our breeding industry Upside Down.
Slant was unraced and died when his first crop had only just turned three. The best of his five Stakes winners was Asian Incline who won the 1992 LR Raconteur Stakes before going to Melbourne to win the LR Barton Stakes at Caulfield.
War Chant won the 2000 G1 Breeders Cup Mile at Churchill Downs and then retired to Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky. He shuttled to Yarradale Stud and has been based permanently at the Gidgegannup nursery since 2014.
His world-side career stats comprise 45 Stakes winners among 572 individual winners. Topping his Australian roll-call are millionaire mares Silent Sedition (G1 MVRC William Reid Stakes), Dainty Tess (G3 Northerly Stakes) and Dance Music (G3 Prince Of Wales Stakes).
War Chant’s most recent new winner arrived at Carnarvon on Monday when Amelia’s Chant was successful in the Grantham’s Horse Transport Maiden (1400m). She was pestered in front by Peppy’s Pride and was clearly headed in the straight before fighting back to score in a head-bobbing finish.
Amelia’s Chant (Photo: Western Racepix) is trained by Zach Tyler after failing to salute for Simon Miller and Michael Lane. The 3yo filly had won Lark Hill and Belmont barrier trials brilliantly and was an odds-on favourite on debut for the Own The Dream 2YO Plate (1000m) at Ascot in January 2021.
Willie Pike was engaged and she led the field around the corner but faded from view in the race won by Toppa The Mountain. Insiders confided she didn’t have a great experience and seemed slightly rattled by the big occasion.
It took 18 months for redemption even allowing for the fact it was up the line at Carnarvon. But a win’s a win on a catalogue page and it won’t be her last for Tyler who began his training career while working as a machine operator at Rio Tinto.
War Chant sired Amelia’s Chant from the Team Hawkes-trained Moonee Valley winner Eastward (Exceed And Excel). She is a half-sister to Burning Sands (G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes) and second-dam Encarta (Westminster) is a half-sister to Skoozi Please, a stakes winner in NZ, Australia and Dubai.
Amelia’s Chant has bright breeding prospects when she eventually retires to stud for her new ownership group managed by Brett Byron.
War Chant fillies and mares catalogued for the Swan Valley this Sunday include:
SILVER WAR (Lot 61): Unraced 3yo full-sister to Dainty Tess (14 wins: G3 Prince of Wales Stakes-twice & G3 SAJC R N Irwin Sakes).
AMBERS CHANT (Lot 64): Maiden mare from G3 Hyperion S takes winner Ambers Halo (Don’t Say Halo). Full-sister to War Saint (G2 WA Guineas) and half-sister to Taiyoo (G3 SAJC Lord Reims Stakes).
WAR BLOSSOM (Lot 91): Winning daughter of a Danehill half-sister to Liberty Rose (LR Morphettville Guineas). In foal to Gingerbread Man.
AMILLIONITE (Lot 94): Belmont winning half-sister to Catapulted (G2 QTC Cup, G3 VRC Standish Hcp). Family of Ihtsahymn (G1 Kingston Town Classic). In foal to Gingerbread Man.
LOOPY’S LADIES (Lot 116): Belmont 2yo winning half-sister to Ready To Rip (G3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes) and Sir Lago (2 wins Hong Kong). In foal to Maschino.
Mares in foal to War Chant include:
SOY TAN RAPIDO (Lot 84): By Patronize. Perth-winning half-sister to War Chant Stakes winner Chantski (G3 Gimcrack Stakes).
STORM SENSE (Lot 87): By Street Sense. Perth winner and a half-sister to Perth winners Bombs Away (War Chant) & Gunmetal Grey (Bradbury’s Luck). Dam of one to race – Twice Lucky (2 wins).
GRINDABELLA (Lot 105): By Musket. Half-sister to Dainty Tess (14 wins: G3 Prince of Wales Stakes-twice & G3 SAJC R N Irwin Sakes).
MUSKET COVE (Lot 119): By Musket. Unraced half-sister to Ihtsahymn (G1 Kingston Town Classic) and Jestatune (LR Gimcrack Stakes).