Category Archives: Savabeel

Savabeel stock dominates Auckland Cup day

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Savabeel’s (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Success Express) brilliant son Sangster notched his third Group 1 win with an amazing performance in Wednesday’s Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie.

Sangster won the Victoria Derby (2500m) as a three-year-old but his career looked to have stalled as he went winless throughout 2012 and his first three runs of 2013 before the gelding roared back into top form with his impressive win in the Group 1 Darci Brahma International (2000m) at Te Rapa.

The four-year-old followed that effort with a comfortable two-length success over 2400 metres in the Group 2 Avondale Cup but the gelding went to another level over the two miles of the Auckland Cup.

Jockey Opie Bosson gave Sangster a comfortable trip for the first 2600 metres before easing his mount off the rail approaching the home turn.

Sangster shot three lengths clear at the 400 metres before holding his opposition comfortably in the straight to score by 2-1/4 lengths over El Soldado ( Colombia – Zo’Al, by Norman Pentaquad) and Chaparrone (High Chaparral – Quarry, by Sky Chase).

“Too smooth, it was just too smooth,” Sangster’s trainer Trent Busuttin told The Informant. “Barrier draws win races and Opie gave him a perfect trip.

“I don’t normally get nervous but with all the expectation I felt a bit of the pressure.”

Meanwhile, emerging mare Diademe (Savabeel – Bling, by O’Reilly) completed a terrific day for Savabeel with her dominant on-pace win in the Group 3 Westbury Classic (1400m).

Diademe, a $NZ50,000 purchase at the 2010 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, became the 23rd stakes winner for Savabeel after working across from a wide gate to lead throughout to score by 1-1/4 lengths over multiple Group 1 winner Final Touch (Kashani – My Lydia, by Umatilla) and Fleur De Lune (Stravinsky – Kapsjoy, by Kaapstad) to force trainer Murray Baker to think about a trip to Australia for the winner of four of her eight starts.

“She is still in the Doncaster, but she would have to run well in the next couple to think about that,” he said.

“The Group 1 Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha (April 6th) looks to be a good option for her, she is just a very strong wilful horse and she likes to be there.

“I wouldn’t like to be married to her because she is one tough cookie.”

Savabeel’s Sangster bounces back for another Group 1 win

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According to trainer Trent Busuttin, maturity issues consigned the 2011 Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) Sangster (Savabeel – Quinta Special, by Spectrum) to a winless 16 months but that ended when the four-year-old blitzed his opposition in the Group 1 International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.

Sangster won the Victoria Derby at his eighth start but the victory proved to be a false dawn for the gelding, who managed only one placing in eight starts before his International Stakes win.

The four-year-old showed he was ready to show his best form with his second to Glad (Pins – McHappy, by Rory’s Jester) in the Listed Anniversary Handicap (1600m) before the son of Savabeel (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Success Express) thrived on the step up to 2000 metres in his latest assignment.

Jockey Opie Bosson had to earn his riding fee on Sangster in the first half of the race. Luck deserted him in the run to the first turn, which left Sangster posted three-deep from barrier eight until the pace dropped off as the field travelled down the back straight.

Bosson corrected the problem by taking Sangster forward to sit second behind the eventual runner-up Dolmabache (Redoute’s Choice – Our Echezeaux, by Zabeel). The race changed complexion at the 1000 metres when Revolt (Thorn Park – Rebellious Angel, by Success Express) whipped around the field to inject some pace into the $NZ200,000 event but Sangster remained in his comfort zone, primed for a finishing burst in the straight.

Dolmabache regained the lead early in the straight but was no match for Sangster’s dash when Bosson asked him for an effort at the 300 metres. Sangster quickened impressively to end the race as a contest at the 100 metres before driving clear to score by almost three lengths.

“They all go on about VRC Derby horses not coming back but I don’t believe any of that,” Busuttin, who trains Sangster in partnership with his fiancée Natalie Young, told the New Zealand Herald. “Efficient, Octagonal, Tie The Knot, Diatribe, Lion Tamer – they’ve all come back afterwards and this horse is no different.

“He’s taken time to mature fully and last autumn he just wasn’t letting down on those firm tracks. Before his last start at Trentham I said there was another big win coming and my only worry today was the firm track.”

Sangster is one of three Group 1 winners sired by the Waikato Stud-based Savabeel. The dual Group 1 winner was passed in for $NZ22,500 at the 2010 NZB Select Sale while Quinta Special (Spectrum – Al Galop, by Affirmed) last foaled an unnamed sister to Sangster in 2010.

 

Waikato Stud passes from father to son

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Waikato Stud’s new co-owner Mark Chittick says “there will be minimal change” after he and his wife Lisa assumed control of the New Zealand breeding institutions from his father Garry.

Garry Chittick handed the management of Waikato Stud to his son and daughter-in-law on Friday. Mark Chittick said the handover represented a major challenge but one he relished.

“With the stud’s internationally proven sire roster and exceptional record of racetrack success, it is a huge opportunity,” he said.

“Breeding elite racehorses has been my entire life and my whole passion, so this is an extremely exciting position to be in now and going forward.”

The Chittick family has owned the Matamata-based property since Garry and Mary Chittick took over Waikato Stud in 1993. Waikato Stud has bred 24 individual Group 1 winners in the ensuing 19 years, including dual hemisphere Group 1 winner Starcraft and super racehorse turned champion sire O’Reilly.

The younger Chittick said he would not tinker with Waikato Stud’s proven formula for producing high class racehorses, especially with his father still on hand to offer the benefit of his experience.

Not surprisingly, with its sublime Gr.1 record, there are no plans to change its successful recipe.

“There will be minimal change,” Mark Chittick said.

“The growth that has taken place in the last 19 years has always been done in partnership between Garry and myself and this will continue to be the case.

“On a day to day basis, we will still be making the most of Garry’s knowledge and experience and of the incredible resources that we are very fortunate to have.”

Waikato’s 2012 roster is made up of: O’Reilly ($45,000 LFG, plus GST), Pins ($37,500 LFG, plus GST), Savabeel ($35,000 LFG, plus GST), Fast N Famous ($6,000 LFG, plus GST), No Excuse Needed ($6,000 LFG, plus GST), and Rios ($4000 LFG, plus GST).

 

Waikato sires provide Queensland Derby quinella

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Waikato Stud stallions provided the quinella to Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) when Brambles (Savabeel – Prickle, by Pins) led home Quintessential (Fast ‘N’ Famous – Florette, by Sword Dance) in the $500,000 feature.

Brambles took all honours in the 2012 renewal of the Queensland Derby. Jockey Brad Rawiller sent the gelding to the front straight after the start and the son of Savabeel (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Zabeel) set a tempo that gave all runners their chance to overhaul him.

Brambles understandably looked wobbly over the concluding stages but Quintessential could get no closer than 1-1/4 lengths to the winner on the line. Westsouthwest (Darci Brahma – Southern Sunset, by Polish

“What a great ride by Brad (Rawiller) it was,” Moody said. “I left it up to him and didn’t tie him down with instructions and he rode him a treat.

“This horse is a tough, no-frills stayer. He’s climbed another mountain by winning this race.

“He was getting tired near the line but he was entitled to and the others were all off the bit chasing him.”

Precedent) completed a trifecta for New Zealand-bred three-year-olds with his second Derby placing of the season after the gelding finished third in the Group 1 South Australian Derby last month.

Savabeel also sired the winner of the Group 1 Victoria Derby when Sangster (Savabeel – Quinta Special, by Spectrum) won the famous Flemington event.

Group 3 double for Savabeel

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Waikato Stud sire Savabeel (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Success Express) produced a trans-Tasman double when a pair of his sons posted impressive Group 3 victories at Doomben and Arawa Park.

The John Sargent stable prepared Fromelles (Savabeel – Unearthed, by Felix The Cat) to win the Rotorua Cup before Brambles (Savabeel – Prickle, by Pins) stakes his Queensland Derby claim with a fighting win in the Rough Habit Plate.

Barrier one proved a godsend for jockey Brad Rawiller, who was able to save ground on Brambles while the runner-up Margins (Parameter – Printer’s Mistress, by Semipalatinsk) covered ground from gate 13.

Margins looked to have the race won but Brambles pushed through a gap between the placegetters to win by a half-head.

“He’s a very tough horse and is always a trier,” Moody’s stable representative Bronwyn Upjohn said. “After a win like that it’s all systems go for the Derby.”

Savabeel’s dual success left him with 17 individual Stakes winners.

Meanwhile, Savabeel’s sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram – Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) had success of his own when his well-performed son Hume (Zabeel – Lolette, by Arazi) stormed down the centre of the track to win the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) at Doomben.

Hume spent almost three years away from the winner’s circle but the eight-year-old’s big finish gave him his seventh win from 32 starts.

“I’m just go glad the owners have been very patient with him,” Smith said. “I’ve never lost faith in him and I begged his owners to give him another go.

 

Savabeel mare back on top in Gr 1 NZ Stakes

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Savabeel (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Success Express) mare Scarlett Lady (Savabeel – On Call, by Ironclad) showed all of the fight that landed her the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) in Saturday’s Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

Scarlett Lady bounced back to form in the Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on February 6. The four-year-old made it two wins in a row when she stalked equal favourite Veyron (Thorn Park – Over The Limit, by Centro) before grinding home over the top of her male rival to win by a neck.

Graeme and Debbie Rogerson prepare Scarlett Lady while Australian Turf Club committeeman Max Whitby owns the mare. Whitby declared the Sydney autumn carnival would be Scarlett Lady’s next stop.

“Sydney here we come,” Whitby told The Informant. “The BMW is the ultimate target and we’ll probably run in the Ranvet before that.”

Meanwhile, a return to sprint trips has proved the catalyst for a return to form from exciting three-year-old Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice – Grand Echezeaux, by Zabeel) in the Listed Mr Tiz Trophy (1200m).

The $NZ1.3 million purchase disappointed his connections with his defeats in three successive races over a mile, which prompted the decision to drop the colt back in distance.

“We’ve never doubted his ability and we were obliged to try him in those earlier races, but we did the right thing after the Wellington Stakes,” Burgundy’s trainer Jason Bridgman said. “He’s just so brilliant and naturally fast, you don’t want to fight that sort of talent.

¬†”I think he’s got the makings of a top class sprinter-miler, so that will be his focus from here on.”

All the way for Nandowra

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Nandowra (Savabeel – Fabaz, by O’Reilly) could be on the quick back-up following his victory in the $95,000 Open Benchmark 83 Stakes over 1600m on the Polytrack at Kranji in Singapore on Friday night.

Trainer Michael Freedman said he would monitor the gelding over the weekend and if he feels the gelding has recovered well enough from the victory he could be a starter in the Gr 3 $200,000 Polytrack Mile Championship (1600m) on March 11.

Ridden a controlled race from the front, Nandowra, ridden by Joao Moreira, scored by a length-and-a-half over Superczar with Power Blitz  three-quarters-of-a-length away third.

“He hadn’t raced for six or seven weeks so to win carrying 58kg has been a pretty good effort,” said Freedman. “If he pulls-up alright then I’ll seriously consider running him in the Polytrack Mile Championship on Sunday week.

“He’ll have to do well over the weekend or early next week to back up again. If he doesn’t then I’ll just have to sit down and have a good look through the program to see what is available.”

Nandowra, who finished towards the tail of the field in the Longines Singapore Gold Cup in November returned with a 1400m win in January and has always been highly regard by Freedman who believes the gelding is capable of winning a feature race.

Scarlett Lady bounces back

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Scarlett Lady (4 m Savabeel – On Call, by Mr Ironclad) bounced back from a potentially career-ending injury to win the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Tauherinikau in New Zealand on Monday.

Scarlett Lady suffered a bone chip in a foreleg when finishing unplaced in the Gr 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield last October. Monday’s race was her first since but co-trainer Debbie Rogerson said beforehand, “She’s had two trials and done well, we couldn’t be happier with her.”

James McDonald positioned Scarlett Lady towards the rear from the start and then angled out to run on strongly in the straight and defeat Outback Girl (O’Reilly) by half a length. She’s Prestigious (Keeninsky) stuck on gamely for third after leading to the home turn.

Savabeel mare grabs NZ Group 2 win

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Waikato Stud’s young sire Savabeel (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Success Express) earned his 15th individual stakes winner when Lady Kipling broke through in Saturday’s Group 2 Lady Norrie Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa.

Lady Kipling had only one placing to show from seven previous attempts to secure a stakes win. The four-year-old settled just off a smart early speed before looming into contention on the home turn.

The Murray Baker-trained Lady Kipling accelerated smartly to win the $NZ85,000 feature by a length.

“I thought she was more of a handicapper than weight-for-age but she’s certainly improved this year,” Baker told Trackside. “We’ve ridden her up on the pace a lot more and that’s helped.”

Baker paid $NZ62,500 for Lady Kipling at the Windsor Park Stud draft at the 2009 NZB Select Sale. Lady Kipling is the first stakes winner for her dam Akela (Al Akbar – Zephana, by Zephyr Bay).

Al Akbar produced a stakes winner of his own when Mydiamond Bracelet came from behind the leaders to win the Listed AG And Turf Sprint (1400m).

The Graham Richardson trainer mare just had enough in hand on the line to become the 15th individual stakes winner for Al Akbar, who started his career at Grangewilliam Stud before moving to Golden Eagle Lodge ahead of his untimely death in 2007.

Richardson paid $NZ26,000 for Mydiamond Bracelet at the 2008 NZB Festival Yearling Sale.

Pins holds the key to NZ Group 3

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Waikato Stud sires have produced a quarter of the 12-strong field for Saturday’s Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni.

Leading stallion Pins (Snippets – No Finer, by Luskin Star) will shoot for his fifth Australasian stakes win of the season. Kindred (Pins – Kind Return, by Zabeel) has won two of her four starts but will need to overcome Trendy (Pins – Trujillo, by Saint Bernardo), who has won twice in five attempts.

Pins’s influence extends to the race favourite, the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained Dowager Queen (Savabeel – Dower, Pins)

Dowager Queen will resume from a 37-day break after her second placing to Mosheen in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington last month.

Below is the full field for the Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni.

NO RUNNER TRAINER SIRE
1 Dowager Queen Graeme & Debbie Rogerson Savabeel
2 Testa Secret Kevin Gray Testa Rossa
3 Abeautifulred Graeme & Debbie Rogerson Handsome Ransom
4 Capital Diamond Lisa Latta Lucky Unicorn
5 Joy’s Choice Graeme & Debbie Rogerson Redoute’s Choice
6 Kindred Jason Bridgman Pins
7 Trendy Anne Herbert Pins
8 Zurella Shaune Ritchie Zabeel
9 Unbelieveabelle Stephen Crutchley Handsome Ransom
10 Reasons Unknown Mark Oulaghan Shinko King
11 Jungle Pago Fraser Auret Darci Brahma
12 Prepared Howie Mathews Perfectly Ready