Sharrock’s star savabeel on track for triple crown

Allan Sharrock believes Savabeel’s son Kawi is capable of becoming the first horse to complete the Triple Crown clean sweep. The Taranaki trainer’s stable star impressively won the opening leg with victory in this afternoon’s Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings to keep his dream alive.

Sharrock had thought that the 1400 metres of the Makfi would make it the toughest test of the series for Kawi, who passed with flying colours. “It’s a great thrill and there’s a bit of improvement in him,” he said. “This was the hardest one to win so I’m pretty confident about the other two.” The mile of the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate and the 2000 metre trip of the Gr.1 Livamol Classic will be distances more to Kawi’s liking.

The WS graduate and subsequent international Group One winner Starcraft has gone closest to winning all three legs of the Triple Crown. In 2004, he claimed the opening two races before he finished runner-up in the closing event.

Kawi settled midfield on a good speed and rider Leith Innes brought him with a perfectly-timed run for the seventh win of his 16-start career. ”He’s a lovely horse to ride and there was a bit of speed on before they steadied at the 700 metre mark when I crept forward and he did the rest,” Innes said. “He won pretty easily in the end.”