Classy Debut Victory For Major Beel’s Brother Savagram

From a pedigree known all too well by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, 3yo Savabeel colt Savagram kicked off his race career in the best possible way, highlighting himself as a potential black-type performer in the spring with an impressive victory at Canterbury on Wednesday.

With two July barrier trials under his belt, the Tim Clark ridden colt started a narrow second elect in the small field of seven behind the Chris Waller trained Zoustar colt Lorax who had finished third at his only two starts to date.

Hunted forward by Clark to take up the running, the colt showed plenty of pace to lead comfortably and was never headed.

With Lorax one of the first to make a move, the Waller trained colt came from a rearward position, but once the turn was reached, Savagram kicked three lengths clear.

Although the Hawkes Racing trained Cantero made up some good ground late to finish second, beaten just over a length and a quarter, Savagram was in a different race as the colt could not have been any more impressive on debut.

“It really was a very professional performance which we were expecting to see from him,” said Bott. “He’s been showing that set at home and through his trials but I guess you don’t sort of get too far ahead of yourself until you see it under race day pressure. He’s responded really well today.”

“That’s no doubt going to help and today we’ll teach him a lot as well, also take plenty of confidence. But that’s not necessarily the way he always has to be ridden either.

“A smaller tactical race probably lent to us sort of wanting to try those tactics with him today, whereas we haven’t seen that from him in the trials, but it sort of adds another dimension for him.

“No specific target yet but all those you know three-year-old races will be in contention I do think he is of that quality. We could sort of try and take him through to a Spring Champion – that’d be lovely races for him.

Clark, who knows the family quite well, was impressed with the win of the colt.

“He’s always promised some nice things at home,” said Clark. “He’s worked up well obviously I haven’t had the benefit of trialling him but I’ve done a bit of work with him behind the scenes.

“Lovely attitude and you know obviously well related and hopefully can go on to some good things.

When asked how he compared to Major Beel, who Clark had ridden to G1 success, the jockey felt he was a slightly different horse.

“This bloke probably a bit stronger at the moment, but Major Beel’s got the score on the board hasn’t he – he’s a group one winner so he’s got a little bit of catching up to do.”

Purchased by his trainers and Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $325,000 from the Waikato Stud draft at the Magic Millions yearling sale, Savagram is the third winner from four to the races out of the O’Reilly mare Gram, a half-sister to G2 winner Gold Fever, (dam of G1 winner La Dorada), G2 winner Gold Rush (dam of Listed winner Gold Bullion) and Listed winner Calaverite (dam of G1 winner Golden Mile).

A brother to the Waterhouse/Bott trained G1 ATC Derby winner Major Beel as well as the G3-winning, G1 fourth placed Solid Gold who is raced by Waikato Stud, Savagram has a long way to go to emulate many of those in his pedigree but has commenced his career in style.