Savabeel filly sizzles on debut
11 February 2017
Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman refused to take all the credit for Love Affair’s stunning debut victory at Te Aroha. The WS-bred and owned filly had been unbeaten in both of her lead-up trials and she continued her winning ways this afternoon.
“To be fair we have only had her for a few weeks,” said Forsman, who trains in partnership with Murray Baker. “Katie and Dale Busey and Waikato Stud have done all the hard work and Lynsey Satherley has educated her at the trials.
“We were lucky to get such a beautiful filly. She was meant to be on the pace and they were only walking. I was very nervous at the top of the straight.”
Love Affair found herself toward the tail of the field on the fence, but rider Craig Grylls was able to weave through the field in the straight. The Savabeel three-year-old showed an excellent turn of foot for the perfect start to her career.
Love Affair is out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Romancing, a sister to the stakes winner and Group One performer Salsa and a half-sister to the Group Three winner Somepin Anypin (Pins). It is also the family of the Group One winner Centisle (Centaine).
Recent News
14 July 2026
Tivaci’s Movie Night steals the show at Newcastle
A sister to the Gr.1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) winner Never Been Kissed, the Waikato Stud-bred and raced Movie Night (NZ) was rewarded for her consistency, breaking her maiden with an all-the-way win over 1400m at Newcastle for trainer Tom Charlton.
Read More
9 July 2026
Oilman’s stud stake could change course of NZ breeding
Eighteen months ago, Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt walked through the lush Waikato pasture of Matamata’s Balcarres Stud and announced he wanted some just like it for his own.
Today he has-360 acres about a mile down the road which has been transformed from a dairy farm to one of New Zealand’s leading horse and cattle breeding establishments.
Read More