Smart filly on stakes trail

11 February 2014

The well-named Sports Illustrated showed her style on the big stage at Te Rapa on Saturday when she won on the Group One undercard. The Garry Chittick-bred and raced filly gave ample evidence she was a black type filly in waiting with a powerful performance to claim her second victory in four career starts.

“She’s a big, rangy horse for a three-year-old and we might look at something like the Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha and give her a race or two beforehand,” said Andrew Forsman, who prepares her at Cambridge with Murray Baker.

A daughter of Fast ‘n’ Famous and the Pins mare Pin Up, Sports Illustrated was a winner at her New Plymouth debut and was unplaced before she finished third at Ellerslie after a wide trip. She was dropped back in the field today by Mark Du Plessis and came with a sustained finish from last at the 600 metre mark to win with authority.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

The two of you will be aware of my ongoing concern as to the future of our sport. You could argue I have a vested interest; well, I did have, but my interest now is to give the future generations the opportunity my generation had. Now I can tell you, hand on heart, there were many financial thin times. 1975 was my fledgling start with five mares on 130 acres that occasionally flooded with the well-bred, non-race-winning Super Gray.

12 August 2026

Classy Debut Victory For Major Beel’s Brother Savagram

From a pedigree known all too well by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, 3yo Savabeel colt Savagram (NZ) kicked off his race career in the best possible way, highlighting himself as a potential black-type performer.