Belle Cheval gives Savabeel 156th stakes winner

Inducted into the NZ Racing Hall of Fame in May of 2025, Savabeel continues to accumulate the awards and the stakes winners, as his three-year-old daughter, Belle Cheval, saluted on Karaka Millions evening to take out the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy.

Placing third at Group 1 level in November, the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly won by a convincing 1.2 lengths, and just 24 hours after the announcement, she would contest the $4 million 2026 NZB Kiwi in March for The King’s Men’s slot.

With the NZB Kiwi (1500m) now firmly in their sights, Walker said Belle Cheval will likely be given one more start before the March 7 feature, before they potentially look across the Tasman for further targets.

“1500m will be right up her alley,” Walker said. “Perhaps we will go to the Lisa Chittick (Listed, 1400m) at Matamata (on February 14) where she will have home track advantage.”

“Obviously, Lisa Chittick was a very special person to all the Te Akau crew and we would love to win that race.”

“There is obviously the NZB Kiwi and then we would like to get her to Australia.”

Bred by prominent racing identity David Archer, Belle Cheval is a half-sister to his former three-time Group One winner Bostonian, and he races the filly in partnership with his partner Diane Wright and children Simon Archer and Natalie Micarone. The filly inches Savabeel closer to equalling his sire, Zabeel’s, stakes winners’ record of 166.