Might and Power Provides Warmonger Context

Meanwhile, at $15 and $18, respectively, some pundits might shy away from backing Warmonger in the Gr1 Caulfield Cup and Gr1 Melbourne Cup, however The Ratings’ Bureau’s Daniel O’Sullivan proferred his thoughts when the son of Inglewood Stud shuttler War Decree (War Front) belted his 3YO cohort at the start of June. He outlined several compelling reasons why Warmonger’s substantial victory in the Queensland Derby wasn’t merely a spectacle. According to racing.com, he noted, "Warmonger’s winning margin of 10.4 lengths in the Queensland Derby is the largest in an Australian Group 1 race since Might & Power's 10.5-length triumph in the 1998 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick. Warmonger achieved a WFA Performance Rating of 106, while the second-place finisher, Moonlight Magic, landed at 90.4, just shy of his 90.7 rating from his recent win in New Zealand.” He also pointed out, “A 106 rating for Warmonger makes him the highest-rated Gr1 Derby winner in any Australian state since at least August 2016. Russian Camelot’s 103.5 rating in the 2020 SA Derby and Hitotsu’s 103.5 in the 2021 Victoria Derby are the closest performances.” O’Sullivan suggested Warmonger’s performance might translate well to the Melbourne Cup, noting historical ratings and potential weight assignments, however conceded the gap between a standout June performance and a successful finish on the first Tuesday in November.