Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Matamata trainer Pam Gerard believes seven starts as a 2-year-old played an integral part in Savaglee’s stunning G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial S. victory at Te Aroha on Wednesday.
The colt showed great maturity to hold off second and third placegetters Whiskey ’N Roses (Belardo {Ire}) and Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) on the straight to salute by 1.5l.
It was Savaglee’s second consecutive triumph, the other also at Group 2 level in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas at Matamata on October 2.
“He had a lot of runs for a 2-year-old, and I was always a little bit mindful that we were going too far. But I think that was the best thing that probably could’ve happened to him,” Gerard told The Thoroughbred Report.
“It really grounded him for the 3-year-old season. He went home to The Oaks (Stud) and spelled super.
“He’s come back and he’s just loving being around. He copes with it all pretty easy.
“He (Savaglee) had a lot of runs for a 2-year-old, but I think that was the best thing that probably could’ve happened to him.” - Pam Gerard
“He wants to get out there and be a racehorse. He’s got plenty of spunk about him, and that seems to get him through the races.”
Savaglee – by Champion Sire Savabeel and out of Glee (NZ) (O’Reilly) (NZ) – now has five wins from 11 starts, with his next assignment the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, to be run over a mile at Riccarton Park next Saturday.
Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee was purchased by The Oaks Stud for NZ$400,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sales, so far earning back NZ$371,225.
Savabeel stands at Waikato Stud for NZ$100,000 (plus GST).
Savaglee (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
He has won the Grosvenor Award (Champion NZ Sire) for nine of the past 10 seasons. Additionally, he also won his ninth consecutive Centaine Award, and has 145 stakes winners, including 33 Group 1 winners.
Glee has also produced full sisters to Savaglee, Bellano (NZ) and Glebe (NZ).
Bellano – with three wins from 26 starts – was bought for NZ$100,000 by David Ellis BAFNZ from Waikato Stud at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Glebe – with one win from 10 starts – was purchased for NZ$140,000 by Mulcaster Bloodstock and Chris Waller Racing also from Waikato Stud at the 2022 NZB National Yearling Sale.
The little colt with a big heart
Gerard said Savaglee might be a little smaller in stature than other Savabeels, but he has a big heart.
“He’s probably a little bit smaller – he’s not an overly big horse,” she said. “He’s probably a bit smaller than some Savabeels. But he’s very strong.
Pam Gerard
“I believe his mother’s quite a small horse. But you’ve just got to work with them in their minds a wee bit.
“He’s been pretty easy to deal with right through.”
Savaglee had to deal with a pair of abandoned races leading up to Wednesday, firstly with the Hawke’s Bay Guineas which was rescheduled to Matamata before triumphing, then the James and Annie Sarten Memorial S., which was set to be run at Te Rapa on Monday.
But Gerard said he overcame both setbacks like a seasoned professional.
“It hasn’t been easy, and it hasn’t been ideal, but it is what it is. We’ve just got to adapt and deal with what’s put in front of us to get to where we want to be,” she said.
“It hasn’t been easy (having multiple race meetings abandoned), and it hasn’t been ideal, but it is what it is. We’ve just got to adapt and deal with what’s put in front of us to get to where we want to be.” - Pam Gerard
“We’ve had a few trips away with him to the races and haven’t been able to race, but he’s just handled it all very well.
“He’s lucky being a colt – he can probably handle it a bit easier. You can sit back and say, ‘Oh, God’, but you’ve just got to get on with life and do the best you can with the situation you’ve got.”
Savaglee can win from anywhere
On Wednesday, Savaglee flew his outside barrier draw and settled outside of the early leader Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}), with So Naïve (NZ) (US Navy Flag {USA}) in close proximity on the inside.
The colt loomed up turning for home and got to the front early, leaving Whiskey ‘N Roses and Captured By Love to chase him down, but he was too strong and held off the former by 1.5l.
Gerard said this outlined Savaglee’s versatility in how he can win races.
“He’s really managed to do it either way. At Hastings where he ran second (in the Listed El Roca - Sir Colin Meads Trophy on September 7), he flew home and that was a super quick time,” she said.
“He can be anywhere – he can jump outside. Last time he was maybe a little bit colty in the Hawkes Bay Guineas and wanted to do a few little things wrong.
“But he came from behind and sat three wide. You can put him anywhere. You can put him back, you can put him forward.”
Gerard said she was not getting her hopes up too much for his next start in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
But if Savaglee maintains his good mindset and work on the track, that will be all she asks of him.
“We’re never confident – we’re hopeful. If we can just keep doing everything right, keep his head in the right place, get the travel out of the way and get down there,” she said.
“If we can get round to the starting barriers, we’re a good chance. Things change so quickly, but I’m really happy to have the horse that we’ve got going into the race.
“We’re never confident – we’re hopeful. If we can just keep doing everything right, keep his (Savaglee's) head in the right place... we’re a good chance (in the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas).” - Pam Gerard
“I don’t think he’s done a thing wrong all season, and I’m pretty happy to be training him to do that.”
