War Front remains hot topic of debate as three-year-olds falter

Few blue-chip sires divide opinion like War Front does. Mentioning his name at Tattersalls last week provoked reactions ranging from winces and wariness to impassioned speeches defending his record.

The reason the stallion is often front and centre of debate is his record with three-year-olds in Europe. He is an exceptional source of two-year-old talent, that much is indisputable.

But with Air Force Blue, Faydhan, Hit It A Bomb and War Command all having failed to show they had trained on, his lack of a Group 1 winner at three on this side of the pond is a blot on his copybook. Not even the brilliance of Declaration Of War in his busy four-year-old season has dispelled doubts over his sire's ability to produce a talented juvenile who can develop into a Classic winner.