Cover image courtesy of Ajay Berry (Race Images South)
Savaglee’s (NZ) (Savabeel) 2.75l victory in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday was so impressive that connections are now considering targeting the G1 Australian Guineas – also over a mile – on March 1 next year.
The Oaks Stud-owned Savabeel colt’s Guineas win came in a scorching time of 1:33.86 with Sam Spratt aboard, the third-fastest recorded for this race.
He started his 3-year-old season with two wins from seven starts, but has gone on to win four of his past five, including the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400 metres), G2 Sarten Memorial (1400 metres) and Saturday’s NZ$650,000 feature.
It was enough for The Oaks Stud General Manager, Rick Williams, to declare a start in next autumn’s $1 million Australian Guineas was now on his mind.
“That’s a thought. He’s a colt, so there’s value. There’s The Kiwi (the Southern Hemisphere’s richest race for 3-year-olds at Ellerslie Racecourse on March 8 next year), which is a huge money race,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.
“I’ve got some really good form guys who I’ll talk to about how good the 3-year-olds are in Australia.
Savaglee (NZ) cleared away in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas on Saturday | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“We won’t do anything in a hurry, but from the point of view of adding value to the horse we’d love to go to the Australian Guineas.
“We won’t do anything in a hurry, but from the point of view of adding value to the horse we’d love to go to the Australian Guineas.” - Rick Williams
“But we don’t know yet whether we’re good enough. We’ll have a look at that while he’s having a couple of weeks out in the paddock and we’ll come up with a program.
“Coming from New Zealand, it’ll be a bit of a hit-and-run thing. We’ll get him ready and have a crack at the Guineas, if that’s the way we decide to go.”
Showing vast improvement to be one of the standout horses of his generation and now with six victories from 12 starts, Williams said Savaglee has now deserved his spell.
Rick Williams | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“He’s a colt who keeps getting better, and he’s getting more professional,” he said.
“(Trainer) Pam Gerard sent me a photo of his feed bowl this morning. He trotted up good as gold, and he jumps on a plane (Monday) night and back to the stud.
“He’ll have a couple of weeks off, and we’ll regroup and work out which way we’re going to go with him.”
'It's not rocket science': Breeding behind Savaglee's success
Savaglee was a $400,000 purchase by The Oaks Stud from the Karaka 2023 Book 1 draft of breeders, Waikato Stud.
By Champion Sire Savabeel, who has produced 145 stakes winners, and out of Glee (NZ) who was by late, great stallion O’Reilly (NZ), Williams said Savaglee’s balance instantly impressed him.
And he added he was blessed with a little bit of luck.
Savaglee (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
That is because you are never guaranteed anything as breeder, let alone a dominant 3-year-old Group 1 winner.
“He’s a Savabeel out of an O’Reilly mare, so you don’t have to be a genius to work that out,” Williams said.
“And it’s a very deep family, if you look at the Waikato Stud family.
“But he was a horse with a beautiful head and eye, clean boned, beautifully balanced. I don’t think the Savabeels are great walkers, but he was a beautifully-balanced horse.
“But he (Savaglee) was a horse with a beautiful head and eye, clean boned, beautifully balanced. I don’t think the Savabeels are great walkers, but he was a beautifully-balanced horse.” - Rick Williams
“He wasn’t too heavy. Clean-boned and clean joints, with just a great head and eye. Just a little bit immature as a yearling, but we got lucky.”
Williams said Savaglee’s improvement was typical of Savabeel’s top progeny when they mature as 3-year-old runners.
And just as importantly, The Oaks Stud boss said Savaglee possessed a winner's mentality.
Savabeel | Standing at Waikato Stud
He knows he is an elite colt.
“He was a good 2-year-old. He wasn’t the top 2-year-old, but he was good. If you look at Savabeel’s career as a stallion, they get better from 2 to 3, and 3 to 4,” he said.
“They’re horses who keep improving, a bit like Zabeels (NZ). He was about the third or fourth-best 2-year-old last year.
“(Stephen) Marsh’s Written Tycoon filly (Velocious) was the best. But he’s improved so much, and right through the year Pam Gerard has done a great job.
“But I honestly think that was his career-best performance on Saturday. I believe with a spell, he’s one of those horses who’ll keep getting better and looking better.
“He eats well, he’s got a big opinion of himself. He can talk the talk and walk the walk.
“He’s just learning to be a racehorse now. He’s listening to the riders. He only does as much as he has to.”
“He’s (Savaglee) just learning to be a racehorse now. He’s listening to the riders. He only does as much as he has to.” - Rick Williams
Williams is optimistic Savaglee can go on to do great things as a stud stallion, just like his legendary sire, Savabeel.
“We hope so, and you try and build off that. But usually, with 95 per cent of them you’re gelding them and the other 5 per cent aren’t good enough. This horse is good enough,” he said,
“But we’re all realists and play the game, and you hope to get lucky. We got lucky this time, which is so good.”
