Savabeel’s son completes hat-trick
Savvy Valentino underlined his versatility with his latest success to cap off an impressive hat-trick for trainer Bjorn Baker.
The Savabeel 5-year-old started his winning run at Gosford, followed up at Kembla Grange and again on the Kensington course and on tracks ranging from good to heavy.
Savvy Valentino was a clear last in the running this afternoon before rider Tim Clark urged him around the field and he held a sustained finish down the outside to prove far too good at the end of 2400 metres.
“He’s definitely turned the corner this preparation and put it all together,” Baker’s Bloodstock and Racing Manager Stephen McLean said.
“He got through the track well and just a different horse as a 4-year-old. These Savabeels get better and better with age.”
Savvy Valentino was co-bred by Waikato Stud with the Forbes family and was purchased by Baker for $160,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National yearling Sale.
He is a son of the two-time Group 3-winning O’Reilly mare High Fashion, who foaled a filly to Savabeel last season, and she is out of a half-sister to the G2 Waikato Gold Cup winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Ultimate Aim
The Corner with Garry Chittick
The writing of my Corner started many years ago, motivated by an irritation that I felt needed scratching. It was never my intention to make my commentary regular; neither did I intend to reinvent the direction of racing administration. It is both disappointing and ironical that what should be a simple, straightforward business provides a regular need for comment.
Read More
Ocean Park’s With Grace seals NZ Cup berth
South Auckland mare With Grace secured her berth in next month’s Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton when extending her winning sequence to four with victory in the Baker Tilly Staples Rodway 2100 at Te Rapa on Labour Day Monday.
Read More