Savabeel records 100th Group winner with WS-bred son

Waikato Stud’s nine-time NZ Champion Sire and the Hall of Fame inductee in waiting, Savabeel celebrated a day to remember with a Group 1 winner, siring the inaugural NZB Kiwi and in Australia a new Group winner by the name of Jedibeel (ex Starry) in the Gr.2 Challenge Stakes over 1000m at Royal Randwick on Saturday bringing up his 100^th individual Group winner.

Bred by Waikato Stud and offered by Cannon Hayes at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Jedibeel was double-figure odds in the market lining up against a star-studded lineup of five Group 1 winners: Kimochi, I Am Me, Uncommon James, Mazu and Shelby Sixtysix, winning by a convincing 1.15-length margin.

The successful Savabeel/O’Reilly cross was to the fore again. Jedibeel’s dam Starry is an unraced daughter of O’Reilly and has a Noverre weanling on the ground.

The five-year-old Savabeel gelding scored his first black-type win in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) in December, and then trainer Brad Widdup elected to freshen him ahead of autumn targets. Saturday’s Challenge Stakes was his first start since, and he announced his return to racing in style.

Guided through a narrow opening in the straight by jockey Tyler Schiller, Jedibeel showed a brilliant turn of foot to charge home from off the pace and win by just over a length.

“Over a short distance and coming home in that time, I thought it would be pretty hard to pick up the leaders today, especially when they dash like that,” Schiller said. “But he’s just a phenomenal horse at the moment.

“I was a bit nervous that James (McDonald, riding I Am Me) was trying to look for the same spot as me. But this horse has just got a great turn of foot, he’s got a great racing pattern, he just lobs in behind the speed. He actually jumped really well today, but I didn’t want to be too close.

“I thought James was the horse to follow and then I was getting a bit held up and it just helped him even more, because he’s got that great dash. I thought he was really strong late.”

“He’s been a terrific horse from day one for us, and it’s great to see him do this,” Widdup said. “We aimed at the Razor Sharp last time and gave him a short break to get him back for these sort of races.

“I was keen to run him next week, but if I did that, I’d miss out on the Galaxy (Gr.1, 1100m), so I threw the cards on the table and rolled the dice today, and away we went.

“Tyler’s always been a big believer that the Galaxy is a race we should be aiming at. He’s got a massive turn of foot, and especially with a ride like that, where he can get out late and he finishes good.

“He’s a winner. You know, these horses, they do it week in, week out. You can’t train them, they just win, they’re naturals.”

Jeibeel joined full sisters Provence (Gr.1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes winner) and Damask Rose (winner of the inaugural NZB Kiwi), and Captain Pluto (Listed Bunbury Cup) as significant winners for Savabeel on Saturday, 8 March.