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.”

Second win for Banquo’s Portland

Sunday, it was the Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-old filly who won with authority. Jumping from barrier four and finding the fence quite nicely under the guidance of apprentice jockey Tayla Mitchell, Banquo‘s three-year-old daughter, Portland (ex …

9 May 2026

Rotorua Cup result highlights Ardrossan’s rising influence

Pacifico delivered Ardrossan his ninth stakes winner with a determined Rotorua Cup victory over Waikato Stud-bred Savoir Faire, continuing the sire’s remarkable 8.4% stakes winners to runners strike rate.