Red Letter Day for Savabeel and Pins

Red Letter Day For WS Stallions

Savabeel was a dominant force at both feature North Island racing venues on Saturday while O’Reilly also made his presence felt once again. The Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni proved to be royal result for WS with Savabeel’s daughters Soriano and Ray’s Girl finishing first and fourth respectively with the O’Reilly fillies Emerald Queen and Lovetessa splitting them.

Soriano has been consistent all season in the three-year-old features and had come off a last-start third in the Gr 1 Levin Classic. “She deserved that after taking on the best and racing well without a lot of luck,” co-trainer Debbie Rogerson said. “She’ll chase the fillies’ series and will definitely run in the New Zealand Oaks.”

Savabeel also provided Diademe and Floria to run second and third behind the outstanding Shez Sinsational in the Gr 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes and then his son Savour The Moment won the closing event on the Te Rapa card. Bred by WS, he is out of a half-sister to the stakes winner Danasar and the dam of the Gr 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes winner Viennetta (Pins).

O’Reilly wasn’t to be outdone at Te Rapa either with his daughter Annie Higgins claiming the Gr 3 Waikato Gold Cup for breeder-owner Marie Leicester.