Former Coolmore Stud shuttler Declaration of War posted his first Australian winner at Geelong on Thursday with a dominant debut victory for Declarationofheart.

Prepared by Anthony Freedman, the talented colt showed up in a Flemington jump-out last week and carried that good form into race day.  Sent out a short priced favourite in a small field of three, Declarationofheart stalked his rivals and skipped away to win the BET364 Maiden (1130m) by the best part of two lengths.

A $135,000 NZB Premier purchase from the Jamieson Park draft for the Freedman Brothers, Declarationofheart runs for a syndicate that includes Musk Creek and Raffles Thoroughbreds.

He is the first winner for Cardiac (Encosta de Lago), a winning half-sister to G1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss, the dam of stakes-winner De Little Engine who is also by Encosta de Lago.

Declaration of War won the G1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) and Juddmonte International (2100m) for Aidan O’Brien in 2013 before ending his racing career with a placing in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m).

He has already produced several European stakes winners from his first crop.  The USA-bred stallion shuttled to Australia for two seasons and is currently at Coolmore’s Kentucky base in 2018 standing at a fee of $25,000.

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