War Affair (NZ) cemented his status as Singapore’s Champion 2YO after landing Sunday’s G3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) at Kranji.

War Affair (2g O’Reilly – Kristique by Kris S) also won the only other juvenile feature at Kranji in the G2 Golden Horseshoe (1200m) in May.

Despite resuming from a 72-day break and facing five last-start winners, the New Zealand-bred gelding was backed down to an odds-on favourite with regular partner Joao Moreira up.

Though the result went to script, War Affair only just held on to defeat Desert Fox (Not A Single Doubt) who flew home late to fail by a head.  “We have kept him fresh and he might have switched off in the last bit,” trainer Mark Walker said.

“He’s a typical New Zealand Horse who came to us from Karaka.   He will just keep improving and is probably looking for 1400m or 1600m now.”

War Affair was bred and sold by Trelawney Stud for $70,000 at the 2012 NZB Premier yearling sale.  He is owned by Warplan Racing’s Mr and Mrs Ong and is by Waikato Stud champion O’Reilly from USA bred mare Kristique.