Exciting youngster Savaglee will be hoping to end his juvenile season this Saturday the way he started it, winning at Trentham.
The son of Savabeel was an emphatic four-length winner at the Upper Hutt track when on debut in October and trainers Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard would be delighted if he could bookend the season with a winning result in Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee was purchased by The Oaks Stud at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for $400,000, and he has been living up to his price tag with some pleasing early results in the colours of The Oaks Stud principal Dick Karreman.
From six starts to date he has posted two victories, including the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), and his connections were pleased with his fourth placed run in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie last start.
“It was a super run in the Sistema,” Gerard said. “He got a long way back and his sectionals were very good. He came pretty wide as well, so he covered a lot of extra ground. Realistically, I think the horses that led on that day dictated in front, which made it even harder for him from behind, so his effort was very good.”
Gerard believes Savaglee has matured a lot this preparation and she said that will hold him in good stead in seasons to come.
“Early on he was pretty electric and he thought he was probably bigger than he was,” she said. “He did a few things wrong and it has taken him a little bit of time to settle down and start doing things right. He was super-fast and he just wanted to get on with it, being a colt, but he has learned to settle now, he relaxes and it is going to take him a long way.
“His constitution is amazing, he just loves racing. He never takes a backwards step, he has been up for a long time and you wouldn’t even know looking at him – he eats everything and gets on and gets his work done.
“He has worked up nicely, he has come through that last run well. I am happy with him and I think the distance (1400m) will be ideal.”
- Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
