Contingency delivers textbook victory first-up for Shailer

On Sunday, Paul Shailer and his team debuted a three-year-old son of Savabeel at the Sunshine Coast and he certainly looks one to watch. Contingency (ex Bling) posted a 1.36-length win over the 1600m journey to open the eight-race card on Sunday, 21 September with ease.

With three trials under his belt, the gelding jumped from barrier six of 12 with experienced hoop Michael Rodd in the saddle. It was a textbook performance jumping to find a comfortable position midfield, rounding the turn, Michael Rodd made ground quickly to run away at the 300m mark, where the pair didn’t stop.

Out of the O’Reilly mare Bingo, Contingency is the fifth and final foal. This cross produced two new winners this weekend, Contingency and Love Symbol, who broke her maiden at Ellerslie over 1200m on Saturday, 20 September.

Bred by Waikato Stud, the three-year-old was bought by Flag Bloodstock from the Waikato Stud draft at the 2024 NZB Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale before being reoffered, unraced, by his owners on Inglis Digital and selling to his current owner, K Lack, for A$70,0000.

Contingency and Love Symbol were joined by a third new winner for Savabeel in Obstructionist, who won at Eagle Farm on Saturday, bringing Savabeel’s total individual winners’ tally to 1016 from 1393 runners, giving him an incredible winners to runners strikerate of 72.9%.