Sav’s sixth Group 1 winner as a broodmare sire

They say champion sires make very good broodmare sires with Waikato Stud’s nine-time NZ Champion Sire Savabeel bringing up a sixth individual Group 1 winner as a broodmare sire when Gringotts won in a thrilling edition of the Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Golden Slipper Day.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Gringotts – out of Miss Bluebell – joins Never Been Kissed, Icebath, Warmonger, Savatoxl and Beauty Eternal as Group 1 winners out of Waikato Stud’s NZ Hall of Fame inductee in waiting, Savabeel.

Never Been Kissed (Tivaci), bred and raced by Waikato Stud out of Movie (Savabeel), added the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m) to her record taking out the elite-level race at just her fourth start for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Derby Day in 2022 saw Icebath (Sacred Falls) at double-figure odds fly down Flemington’s rail and win her first Group 1 in a thrilling edition of the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) under Craig Williams for trainer Brad Widdup. Bred by Waikato Stud and sold on behalf of Sledmere Stud, she’s out of Fabulist (Savabeel).

Warmonger, out of Princess Sapphire (Savabeel), took out the Gr.1 Queensland Derby last year in OTI Racing’s colours for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr with Savatoxl taking out the Gr.1 Goodwood Handicap in 2021 for Tony and Calvin McEvoy.

Rounding out the sextet is Beauty Eternal, out of Ithacan Queen (Savabeel), one of the greatest champions in the history of Hong Kong horse racing taking out the Gr.1 HKJC Champions Mile in 2018 for trainer John Moore. At his retirement in 2020, Beauty Eternal Beauty Generation held two course-records at Sha Tin Racecourse, 1600m and 2200m, and at one stage he held the fastest 1400m time.

Savabeel’s season continues to shine bright as the sire of 10 stakes winners including three at Group 1 level striking at 11.1% stakes winners to runners and 7.4% Group winners to runners.