Super Savabeel dominates proceedings again
Savabeel took centre stage at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards with another clean sweep in the stallion division.
The Waikato Stud resident won the Grosvenor Award for a sixth consecutive season and his fifth Dewar and Centaine titles.
No New Zealand based stallion in the modern era comes anywhere close to achieving matching Savabeel’s achievements.
The Grosvenor Award is based on progeny earnings, the Dewar on combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings and the Centaine for combined progeny earnings worldwide.
Waikato Stud was also the fore when its home-bred Madison County was a dominant winner of the Champion Three-Year-Old Award.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained son of Pins won all but one of the 59 votes available.
Madison Country claimed the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and the Gr.1 Levin Classic before embarking on an Australia campaign.
He finished fourth in the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas and was then runner-up in the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes and in the Gr.1 Australian Derby.
Trainer’s confidence rewarded at Ellerslie
Cannon Hill (ex Vanilla Essence) showcased an impressive performance for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike at Ellerslie, overcoming a wide barrier in a 1400-metre Rating 75 event. Ridden by Matthew Cartwright, the son of Ardrossan powered home down the outside to secure victory, fulfilling Pike’s high expectations in style.
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Atishu wins the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington for Albert Bosma of Go Racing with Chris Waller and James McDonald.
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