Savabeel stars in broodmare sire role

WS’s resident star stallion Savabeel opened a new chapter in his illustrious career at Wanganui on Saturday. The Group One winner and producer was credited with his first black-type victory as a broodmare sire when Stella Di Paco posted an upset win in the Listed Castletown Stakes.

The two-year-old also provided the first winner for her sire Paco Boy, who formerly shuttled to the Matamata farm, and for the new training partnership of Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.

“She’s pretty gutsy and she has improved a lot,” Autridge said. “She’s one tough cookie and we’ll see how she pulls up as to whether she goes back down for the Ryder Stakes.”

Stella Di Paco is owned by the Sydney-based Max Whitby, who has been a long-time admirer of Savabeel. He raced one of the Cox Plate winner’s best daughters in Scarlett Lady (Gr 1 New Zealand Stakes, Gr 1 Queensland Oaks).

Meanwhile at Wanganui, Savabeel’s daughter Sharbeela won for the third time in her career. She is trained on the course by Alexander Fieldes for a syndicate that includes her co-breeder Chris Turner. “I’ll be the first to admit that she’s not Savabeel’s best, but she’s got a quality that Savabeel injects into his progeny and that’s a will to win,” Fieldes said.