Savabeel colt lifts Derby profile

23 February 2016

Savabeel’s son What’s The Story boosted his Group One hopes with an outstanding effort at Ellerslie on Saturday. The three-year-old showed his quality when he overcame a chequered run to beat the older horses in his middle distance debut.

The colt came off the canvas after he was involved in a skirmish 600 from home to produce a sustained finish for his second career win. “He lost quite a bit of ground so to get up was a massive performance,” trainer Stephen McKee said.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse and he’s put his hand up as a Derby type. He’s fit so I’ll just keep him ticking over – we’ve come in through the back door so we’ll see how we go.”

What’s The Story’s New Zealand Derby odds were immediately slashed from $51 to $18 following his latest performance. An $80,000 Karaka yearling, he is out of a Carnegie mare who is a half-sister to the multiple Group One winner Tall Poppy.

Wee Nessy breaks her maiden in style

Savabeel’s three-year-old filly Wee Nessy impressed at Ellerslie, charging home to break her maiden in dominant fashion. The win marked Savabeel’s 1057th individual winner, with his progeny earnings surpassing $208 million as his legacy continues to grow.

21 April 2026

Golden Family Delivering for Waikato Stud

O’Reilly mare Gram may only be 10 years old, but she is already proving to be a powerhouse producer for Waikato Stud. From her first three foals she has left Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) hero …