Hayes-trained War Machine first-up in Australia Stakes after 2025 Stradbroke triumph

War Machine, the Hayes brothers-trained sprinter fresh from a rich 2025, is set to return in the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Pakenham on Jan 23, giving connections a sharp first-up assignment ahead of an autumn campaign that could include the Futurity Stakes or the Newmarket Handicap. The decision to run in the Australia Stakes signals a clear plan to keep the horse race-fit while mapping a path back to the major spring and autumn sprints.

The four-time stakes performer stamped himself on the national scene with a landmark Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap win in 2025 and backed it up with a Group 2 success in the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. Those results established him as a top-tier sprinter, and his presence in the Pakenham race elevates the profile of the Australia Stakes as a key lead-up for elite milers and sprinters looking to sharpen early in the year.

Preparation has been tidy. War Machine posted an 800-metre jump-out at Werribee on Jan 16, a short, sharp hit-out designed to simulate race intensity without overcooking fitness. That work suggested the gelding has come through the off-season in order and that the Hayes team is intent on a targeted campaign rather than an indiscriminate schedule. First-up assignments like Pakenham will provide both a test of condition and valuable data for how to position him toward weight-for-age and handicap features later in the autumn.

There are business and breeding angles to consider. A continued pattern of stakes wins across weight-for-age and handicap programs preserves the horse’s commercial value for owners and syndicates by enhancing his record against quality fields. For punters and racing markets, War Machine’s return will be watched closely; his Stradbroke form makes him a benchmark against which other summer and autumn sprinters will be judged, influencing early-season odds and betting pools.

Culturally, the Hayes brothers remain central figures in Australian racing, and their management of a high-profile sprinter like War Machine reinforces their reputation for astute placement and long-term planning. The move to bring the horse back in a Group 2 first-up reflects a broader industry trend toward carefully calibrated campaigns that balance immediate returns with peak targets later in the season.

What comes next is straightforward: assess War Machine’s first-up run at Pakenham, see how he handles race pressure and weight, and then finalise whether the Futurity Stakes or Newmarket Handicap better suits his autumn tasking. For fans and stakeholders, the Australia Stakes will be the first real read on whether last year’s Stradbroke champion remains at the top of his game.