Savacat pounces for deserved win

The only surprise about Savacat’s breakthrough success at Tauranga this afternoon was that it hadn’t come sooner.

The Savabeel four-year-old had posted six top-four finishes from her previous eight starts, including a brace of seconds, and one of her unplaced performances was a creditable midfield finish in last season’s G1 New Zealand Oaks.

Trained by Team Rogerson for breeders Waikato Stud, Savacat had run third when resuming two runs back before she got home late for sixth at Te Aroha, and the short-priced favourite made no mistake at Tauranga, where she relished the step up to 2100 metres.

She was able to settle closer to the pace than has been her custom and, after striking the front in the run home, sailed clear to score by a comfortable length.

Savacat’s dam is the Listed Oaklands Plate winner Donna Cattiva, and the Captain Rio mare is also the dam of Savabeel’s son Savvy Legend, who is an eight-time winner and has a yearling filly by Super Seth.

Donna Cattiva is a sister to the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Il Quello Veloce and the upfront family of the elite level-winning half-brothers Terravista and Tiger Tees.