Michael Kent Jnr has revealed that the connections of Queensland Derby winner Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree) rejected a significant offer from Hong Kong owners to purchase the gelding.
Previous Derby winners like Ruthven and Dark Dream were quickly snapped up by Hong Kong buyers with the intention of running in the lucrative Hong Kong Derby the following year, but Kent Jnr explained that the horse’s owners weren’t interested in following that trend after his dominant Group One triumph.
“There was one particularly good one, but it was a clear no,” said Kent Jnr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price.
“There’s a lot of owners in this horse, I’ve got a lot of friends in the horse.
“We went to Adelaide, got beat, Adelaide (again), we were disappointed and then everyone was there for the Queensland Derby and that feeling, it’s priceless.
“I think everyone realises that and now we’re chasing the Cups dream in the spring. He’s not for sale!”
Warmonger has recently returned to Price and Kent Jnr’s main stable at Cranbourne. The now four-year-old will kick off his spring campaign in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes, before progressing to the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes on October 5 and then on to the Caulfield Cup a fortnight later.
“It’s a nice, progressive path,” Kent Jnr said.
“It gives him time between runs; a mile, 2000m and a mile-and-a-half. From there on, we’ll just have a look at the horse, how he pulls up after the Caulfield Cup, before making any further plans regarding a Melbourne Cup.”
Warmonger is at $15 in Sportsbet’s market for the Caulfield Cup.
