Savabeel colt romps home in Group 1
High-class colt Savaglee (ex Glee) crowned a glorious spring campaign with another stellar performance to triumph in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
The Waikato Stud-bred and sold star’s victory romp at Riccarton also credited his remarkable sire Savabeel with his 34th individual winner at the highest level.
Trained by Pam Gerard, Savaglee enjoyed a cosy run over the Riccarton mile and was simply in a league of his own once asked to lengthen stride by Sam Spratt.
“Sam is riding like a demon and she was really confident, the horse has been brilliant and he’s gone from strength to strength,” Gerard said.
Indeed, a strong argument can be made that Savaglee should be unbeaten this preparation and following a resuming win at Taupo, he finished runner-up in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy after being held up in the straight.
He then claimed top honours in the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and G2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial and significantly boosted his stallion profile in the Riccarton Classic.
Savaglee led early before he steadied in the trail, and Spratt angled him into the clear at the top of the straight.
He ambled to the front 300 metres from home and cruised to the post untested with 2.8l on his closest challenger.
“He came back to me so nicely and I really had plenty of horse left,” Spratt said.
“He’s got an amazing turn of foot, he was just too good for them.”
Savaglee was purchased from Waikato Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National
Yearling Sale with The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams having the final say at
$400,000.
The colt is out of the O’Reilly mare Glee, who had a Savabeel filly last season and is due to
foal again to the champion stallion.
Glee is a half-sister to the dam of dual Group 1 winner Orchestral and the family of elite-level winners Daffodil, Atishu, Aegon and Good Faith.
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