Wings Of War

Wings Of War kept on well to finish third in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last Saturday. Held up early on by David Probert and tucked in behind the leaders, he was ninth of the 10 runners as they passed the three-furlong pole. Still on the bridle as they raced to the two-furlong marker, he switched towards the near side in order to get racing room, and he picked up well as a gap developed on the run to the furlong pole. He kept on well from there and, while it never looked like he would get to El Caballo or Flaming Rib, he finished off his race strongly to take third place behind them.

Winner of two of his five races last season as a juvenile, and placed in the other three, Clive Cox’s horse finished last of four behind Go Bears Go in the Group 3 Pavillion Stakes at Ascot on his debut this season, but he proved here that that just wasn’t his running. This was much more like it, in his first-time cheekpieces, and he should be able to build on this now. He will be of interest wherever he goes next.
Haydock, 21^st May 2022