Savabeel colt lifts Derby profile

23 February 2016

Savabeel’s son What’s The Story boosted his Group One hopes with an outstanding effort at Ellerslie on Saturday. The three-year-old showed his quality when he overcame a chequered run to beat the older horses in his middle distance debut.

The colt came off the canvas after he was involved in a skirmish 600 from home to produce a sustained finish for his second career win. “He lost quite a bit of ground so to get up was a massive performance,” trainer Stephen McKee said.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse and he’s put his hand up as a Derby type. He’s fit so I’ll just keep him ticking over – we’ve come in through the back door so we’ll see how we go.”

What’s The Story’s New Zealand Derby odds were immediately slashed from $51 to $18 following his latest performance. An $80,000 Karaka yearling, he is out of a Carnegie mare who is a half-sister to the multiple Group One winner Tall Poppy.

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.