No Wannabe Any More!

12 November 2012

Wannabe turned in a terrific performance to open her winning account for owner Mary Chittick at Te Rapa on Saturday. The WS mare was forced to improve wide and without cover after a tardy start and showed commendable fighting qualities to score at her fifth appearance.

The daughter of Pins led at the top of the straight and maintained a strong and brave gallop to the post under rider Shannon Doyle.

Trained at Matamata by Andrew Scott, the four-year-old had been unluckily beaten into fifth at her previous start at Matamata, where she was denied room until late in the run home.

Wannabe is out of the O’Reilly mare Zoe Spice, who won five races and is a half-sister to Chris Turner’s Gr 3 Lowland Stakes winner Rhysess. She is in turn the dam of the Wanganui horseman’s Gr 3 Cuddle Stakes winner Sahrhys.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

No Corner last week; this week the Annual Thoroughbred Racing Awards night certainly deserves acknowledgment. It is the second of two nights of measurement of Thoroughbred achievements for the year, with the first focussing on our Breeders’ awards.

9 September 2026

Savabeel’s Group 1 daughter Belle Cheval retired

Belle Cheval, by champion sire Savabeel, enjoyed a stellar career: placing in the NZ 1000 Guineas, winning the Almanzor Trophy and Uncle Remus Stakes, finishing second in The Kiwi, then claiming Group 1 glory in Australia’s Vinery Stud Stakes before retiring to broodmare duties.