A partly reformed Time For War held on to lead all of the way to take out the Group 2 $175,000 Bowermans Office Furniture Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill today.

Time For War wins Pago Pago Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.

Trainer Gerald Ryan went straight to the gear bag after Time For War was scratched after getting down in the barriers before the running of the Group 2 $175,000 Hyland Race Colours Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick two weeks ago.

Today the Snitzel colt was sporting for the first time a Browband across the top of his head, a lugging bit, pacifiers and was covered with a barrier blanket as he stood in the gates at the start.

But apprentice jockey Damien Thornton still had his hands full in the straight when Time For War ducked out in the straight hampering several other youngsters.

Thornton was then able to gain control of Time For War ($5.50) and went on to hold out the Peter Snowden trained Kumaon ($4.20 favourite) who ran a mighty race after missing the start with Klammer ($8) filling third spot.

Ryan is not keen to go the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill next week and will pick out a race the following week at the Randwick carnival ‘The Championships’.

The Group 1 $1m Inglis ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) or the Group 3 $200, 000 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) are on the agenda with Ryan leaning towards the 1100m race.

“He is a tricky horse because at home he shows nothing. He goes to the race day and gets the job done,” Ryan said.

“He still has a bit to learn and if we can overcome those things between his hind legs he will be a handy little horse.”

“He is not entered in the Slipper. He was always aimed towards the Sires. We will either go to the Sires or the Kindergarten and I think on today’s effort on first reflection we will be going to the Kindergarten, he won’t be going to a 1400m race.”