Savabeel’s son bolts in on home turf
Savvy Valentino has an abundance of staying ability and that was again on show on his home track at Warwick Farm this afternoon where he was an emphatic winner.
The son of Savabeel came from last with 700 metres to run, to win for the fourth time over 2400-metres and further endear himself to Rachel King, who had been successful on the Bjorn Baker-trained 5-year-old on the Kensington course.
“He’s just a beautiful horse to ride over a trip and he’s full of confidence,” she said.
Co-bred with Howard and Pam Forbes and sold by Waikato Stud, Savvy Valentino improved quickly around runners from the 600-metre mark and, after cornering widest, forged clear in the Heavy 8 going to score by
“At the top of the straight I didn’t want to be on any other horse. He is an out and out stayer and it was a big effort with the weight (61kg) in testing conditions,” King said.
Savvy Valentino was sold at Karaka by Waikato Stud to Baker for $160,000 and is the first foal of the dual Group 3-winning O’Reilly mare High Fashion.
Oaks Day glory for Waikato Stud-bred Sulek
Waikato Stud enjoyed a special moment on Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday, when the New Zealand-bred gelding Sulek – by Super Seth out the O’Reilly mare Tiff And Co, saluted on one of the biggest days of the racing calendar and in front of an international crowd. Bred by the farm in partnership with the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, Sulek took out the A$500,000 Cirka Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) for the third and most lucrative win of his career.
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The Corner with Garry Chittick
And so, another Melbourne Cup has been run. Regretfully, Mary and I were not there. I have no idea how many we attended up until COVID, and I miss the Cup week. Victoria prides itself as the sporting capital of Australia; it may be, they certainly know how to create an event.
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