History beckons savabeel’s son

A slice of New Zealand racing history beckons Kawi in the new season. The son of Savabeel’s tally at the highest level currently stands at six and trainer Allan Sharrock is on a mission to advance that record in the 2017-18 term.

“Mufhasa won eight Group One races here and Seachange won seven,” he said. “I know Mufhasa won another two in Australia, but to emulate his record here is something I would love to do.”

Kawi, who is currently tied on six of the best with Mr Tiz and Sir Slick, will have early opportunities to move on to even terms with the former two-time Horse of the Year at the Hawke’s Bay carnival. “He’ll probably go to Te Rapa to the Foxbridge Plate and he’ll be nominated for the first two at Hastings, the Tarzino Trophy and then the Windsor Park Plate,” Sharrock said. “We’ll look at the Captain Cook after that and the plan would then be to freshen him for the Telegraph. In saying that, if he came up better than expected we haven’t ruled out a spring run in Melbourne.”

Sharrock won’t be tempted to have a crack at the Gr.1 Livamol Classic, even if Kawi bags the opening two legs of the Triple Crown series at Hastings. “I don’t want to run him over 2000 metres, not with the respiratory issues he’s had. I’m not going down that road again,” he said.

Kawi stretched his legs on Tuesday at the Waverley trials where he won his 1000 metre heat. “He looks enormous and I’m ahead of the eight ball going on to Hawke’s Bay,” Sharrock said. “I’ve never had him this forward and never trialled him so early.”