Group three honours for savabeel filly

31 January 2016

Duchess Kate became Savabeel’s latest black type performer with a fighting victory in today’s Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham. She beat a competitive line-up of fillies with a performance that has trimmed her Gr 1 New Zealand Oaks odds from $21 to $16.

Trained for Sydney owner Max Whitby by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Duchess Kate headed south with a last-start defeat of the talented Hiflyer on her CV and she dug deeply to continue her winning form under stable jockey Matt Cameron.

“She pinged the machine and Matt got her to relax beautifully,” Richards said. “She’s very tough and it’s great to have a really good filly on the way up. Max and Stevie have been good buddies for years so it’s a great result.”

Duchess Kate enjoyed a good run with cover behind the leaders and wouldn’t be denied in the straight. “She put herself right there and travelled nicely and found the line well,” Cameron said. “She’s still got her quirks, but she’s getting better so it’s onwards and upwards.”

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Well, I got a bit behind last week, with Friday slipping by without realising it; hence no Corner. I have said on too many occasions that negative messages are of no help to anyone, and yet there seems so often a reason to be concerned. Clearly, this week the well-constructed Guerin Report on the threatened downgrade of our Group 1 races demands our attention.

21 October 2026

Vale Ohope Wins, Ocean Park’s tough, kind and courageous daughter

Long before her Oaks double, Ohope Wins’ greatest victory belonged to the Waikato Stud staff and Matamata Veterinary Services vets who saved her as a desperately sick foal. Taken far too soon at Caulfield, her remarkable story is theirs too.