Saturday summary: Savabeel’s Group double and Spratt’s stakes treble steal the show at Trentham

Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)

Magic Millions meeting moved

The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday was disrupted by heavy rainfall after three races on Saturday, rendering the track unsuitable for further competition. Consequently, the remaining seven races, including the prestigious $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic and $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, have been rescheduled to Friday night, January 17, 2025, to be held under lights.

“The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday is an iconic national event and will shine brightest on the national stage under lights on Friday,” Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott said.

“The safety of our animals and participants is paramount, and unfortunately a heavy downpour following the third race has left the track unsuitable for racing.”

The opening event was won by 3-year-old filly Heavenly Impact (Harry Angel {Ire}) who was resuming four runs at two which included running second in The Debut at this meeting last year. Trained by Marcus Wilson, Heavenly Impact was sold by Burke Bloodstock at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale to Fernrigg Farm for $26,000, and they sold her at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $30,000 to Wilson Racing.

David Vandyke-trained favourite 4-year-old gelding Slippin’ Jimmy (Pariah) gave punters an early treat in winning the Magic Millions Country Cup before the meeting was abandoned. He has now won six of his 10 starts with earnings over $387,000. He was a $180,000 purchase by his trainer along with Mark Cook and RM Racing from the Kenmore Lodge draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Provence gets the nod in a tight G1 Thorndon Mile

Eight horses dove at the finishing line together in Saturday’s G1 Thorndon Mile in a driving desperate finish and it was the Stephen Marsh-trained 5-year-old mare Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) who prevailed by 0.1l from Te Akau Racing’s 4-year-old mare Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) with Roydon Bergerson-trained 7-year-old mare Town Cryer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in third. One length covered the first eight home with fifth placing declared a dead heat among the finishers.

The win gave Savabeel a Group double for the meeting, while jockey Sam Spratt had earlier won the Listed Wellesley S. on 2-year-old filly To Cap It All (Capitalist) and the G2 Levin Classic on 3-year-old colt Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel).

“It’s been a huge day. Coming into today, I knew I had three decent rides in those big races. It’s great that it all panned out. It’s extra special because I was born just a couple of kilometres down the road from here. I think I even went for a bolt around this track on a pony when I was a kid,” Spratt said.

Winner of five of her 14 starts with earnings over NZ$470,000, Provence was bred by T V Rider who shares in her ownership and the win was Provence’s first black-type victory. She becomes the 35th Group 1 winner for Savabeel and his 148th stakes winner, and she is also his second Group 1 winner out of a Flying Spur mare after The Chosen One (NZ).

“These Group 1 wins are why you do it,” Marsh’s stable representative and bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson said. “She’s a quality mare. I remember Stephen saying to me after a gallop in the early stages of this preparation, ‘She’ll win a Group 1 this season.’ She’s proved him right. She’s all class.

“She’s continued to come through the grades. She was unlucky in the Rich Hill. She’s just kept progressing and is such a tough, genuine racehorse. She’s part-owned by Tony Rider, who also bred her. He puts so much into the industry with Milan Park, and she’s going to make a great addition to his broodmare band in time. And there’s a massive group of owners in the Social Racing group as well. We’re thrilled to get this win for all of those connections.”

Provence is a full sister to this season’s good 3-year-old Damask Rose (NZ) who placed in the R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO last season and ran sixth last start in the G2 Auckland Guineas on Boxing Day. They are out of winning mare Sombreuil (Flying Spur) who is a daughter of G2 Matamata Breeders S. winner Te Akau Rose (NZ) (Thorn Park) who is a half-sister to Group 3 placed Alberton Princess (NZ) (Golan {Ire}), dam of Group 1 winner and sire Brutal (NZ). Sombreuil is a half-sister to two stakes-placed winners, including Shapita (Foxwedge), the dam of Bjorn Baker trained 4-year-old gelding Listed Canberra Guineas-placed Thunderlips (Zoustar).

Savaglee all class in the Levin Classic

New Zealand’s pattern committee downgraded the G2 Levin Classic for 2025, despite Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) winning the race in 2022 when it was at Group 1 level, which perhaps says something about the form around the other winners in the last five. On Saturday, 3-year-old colt Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) showed his class to win by 1.75l and has perhaps elevated the race as a contender for discussion around an upgrade.

Trained by Pam Gerard and ridden by Sam Spratt, Savaglee made the win look relatively easy in his first start since winning the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas back in the spring. He has now won four in succession and five of his six starts at three. Leading home the beaten brigade was the Andrew Forsman-trained Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High) while the Stephen Marsh-trained Tardelli (I Am Invincible) was third.

“I’m relieved now as that was absolutely amazing. You sort of know what you’ve got, and it makes your job harder, but you hope you have done everything you can as he was coming back from a bit of a let-up. It’s really cool and I'm super happy for the Oaks Stud and for the horse,” said Gerard.

“He is a top horse who has his confidence up and that is great. We need to get him home now and work out how we progress as colts can get a bit hot and while he is in the zone we will decide where we need to go next.” One option is the G1 BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa on February 8, while The Oaks Stud have previously discussed an Australian campaign.

Savaglee was also a Group 3 winner at two and has a record of seven wins from 13 starts with earnings over NZ$970,000. Raced by The Oaks Stud, who purchased him at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$400,000 from Waikato Stud, his stallion future is assured as a Group 1-winning son of multiple Champion Sire Savabeel.

Bred on the magical Savabeel/O’Reilly (NZ) cross which has produced nine Group 1 winners, Savaglee is the third foal and third winner for Glee (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who has a yearling filly named Gleeful (NZ) and no 2024 foal. Glee is a full sister to G3 Cuddle S.-placed Symphonic (NZ) who is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel). This is also the family of Group 1 winners Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), Good Faith (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}), Daffodil (NZ) (Savabeel), and Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}).

Whangaehu to target G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes after Trentham triumph

Winner of the Listed Wanganui Cup two starts ago, Bill Thurlow-trained 6-year-old gelding Whangaehu (NZ) (Proisir) added his second stakes win in Saturday’s G3 Trentham S. Ridden by Craig Grylls, he won in the blanket finish with Opawa Jack (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) in second and Drop Of Something (NZ) (Telperion) in third with all three less than 0.5l apart on the line.

Owner-breeders Humphrey and Fiona O’Leary are on a good run lately having won the G1 Mufhasa Classic with Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and the G3 J Swap Sprint with Kelly Coe (NZ) (Proisir).

“I was a bit worried at the start today. We wanted to try to ride him the first three or four, but he was slow away and reluctant to hit out early. But he got the job done in the end. The leaders weren’t going that fast, but he got rolling into the race at the right time and I was confident once he loomed up alongside them,” Thurlow’s stable representative Sam O’Malley said.

“We’ll probably look to go to the Herbie Dyke S. next and have a crack at that.” The G1 Herbie Dyke S. is on February 8 at Te Rapa.

Whangaehu took his record to eight wins from 32 starts with earnings over NZ$330,000. One of 21 stakes winners for Proisir, Whangaehu is one of three winners for Pinot Grieve (NZ) (Pins) who won four races up to 1400 metres. She is from the family of Listed winners Thorn Prince (NZ) (Thorn Park), Alinko Prince (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) and My Bentley (NZ) (I Conquer {NZ}).

G3 Standish Handicap won by tough It’sourtime

The G1 Newmarket H. could be on the cards for Flemington specialist 7-year-old gelding It’sourtime (Time For War) after he won the G3 Standish Handicap on Saturday. The win was his fifth down the straight, a high portion of his seven career wins.

It’sourtime sat just in behind the speed and jockey Billy Egan timed the run to the line perfectly winning by 0.2l from Stefan Vahala trained 5-year-old gelding Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) with Lindsay Park trained front runner 8-year-old gelding Joyful Fortune (Nicconi) in third. “He always tries hard whenever he comes to the races, so we know when there’s a dog fight, he’ll fight it out for us and put his nose in front,” stable representative James Hicks said.

“He doesn’t have to do much work; he’s rock-hard fit.” With regards to the G1 Newmarket, “It’s Danny’s call, but we’ve got a golden ticket, so it might be worth having a crack and seeing if we can win it.”

It’sourtime took his earnings over $1.1 million from his 40 starts, and this was his first win since the Listed Santa Ana Lane Final in July this year. Passed in as a yearling, It’sourtime is one of five stakes winners for Time For War, a son of Snitzel who had only two crops. He is the second-last foal for unraced Zedoble (Zeditave) who earlier produced Listed-placed winner Zahspeed (Speed ‘N’ Power {NZ}). It’sourtime’s third dam is a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Dual Choice (Showdown {GB}).

Fernie’s Man Crush crushes it in Miss Andretti

Trainer Luke Fernie’s 5-year-old gelding Man Crush (Manhattan Rain) is the perfect example of a pre-Christmas juvenile who has trained on, and he showed he’d bounced back from a last start mid-field run in the G1 Winterbottom S. with a 1.04l win in the Listed Miss Andretti S. at Ascot. Ridden by Chris Parnham, who made it a treble for the day having won earlier on Yarralea (Oratorio) and Bold Hero (Rommel), Man Crush was victorious over Tony Triscari-trained 7-year-old gelding Premium Choice (I’m All The Talk) with Sean and Jake Casey-trained 4-year-old mare Twain’s Angel (Toronado {Ire}) in third.

“Definitely a stable favourite. He’s a gem, a beautiful horse, everyone always loves him. He’s been a star since the moment we took him to the races,” Fernie said, who won this race last year with Wild Belle (Pride Of Dubai).

“He’s a level above these horses today and showed them that. In the Winterbottom, I thought his run was really good, four lengths behind Overpass, and I was pretty confident he’d take care of them (today).” He will go to the Scenic Blast in two weeks.

Winner of the Crystal Slipper at his second start as a November 2-year-old, Man Crush won again as an autumn juvenile and was fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic. At three he won the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy and now has won seven of his 35 starts and over $770,000.

Sold by Misty Valley Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, he was bought by Peter Fernie for $45,000. One of 18 stakes winners for Manhattan Rain, who moved to WA's Giesel Park Stud in 2022, Man Crush is the first foal of Crushed (All Too Hard) who has a yearling full brother to Man Crush and a 2024 full sister to him. Her 3-year-old filly by Maschino is unraced. Crushed is a daughter of G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeder's S. winner Juice (NZ) (Bertolini {USA}). Man Crush is one of two stakes winners for All Too Hard as a damsire, the other being this season’s juvenile Listed winner Tremonti (Hellbent).

Gallery: Images courtesy of Western Racepix

Waller wins The Lakes with Waterford

Inconsistent imported 6-year-old gelding Waterford (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) found form for trainer Chris Waller on Saturday in Wyong’s inaugural $500,000 The Lakes. Ridden by Alysha Collett, he won by 0.52l from last start G2 The Ingham winner 5-year-old gelding Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) with 7-year-old gelding Highlights (Your Song) in third. Second and third are trained by Bjorn Baker.

“It's nice to get opportunities in these races and get opportunities for people like Chris Waller. He has been fantastic since when I came over for my apprenticeship so it's nice to get a job for them. It's all about trying to be consistent and keep improving as a jockey,” Collett said.

“I loved the way he went to the line today, he put in. It's great for the whole team, I thank them for the ride and a great bunch of owners too.” Waterford was third at his only start at two in England before arriving in Australia as an autumn 3-year-old where he won four of his first five starts here. The Lakes win takes him to six wins from 26 starts and earnings over $1.1 million.

His sire, Awtaad (Ire), stands at Shadwell Stud and has 11 stakes winners. Stakes-placed Waterford is a half-brother to Listed Wagga Wagga Cup winner Wicklow (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}) with their dam Wake Up (Ger) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}) winning twice. She is a half-sister to Champion 3YO Colt in Spain and Listed winner Wild King (Ger) (Samum {Ger}) and Listed winner and G1 Roma Premio Lydia Tesio-placed Path Wind (Fr) (Anabaa {USA}), dam of G1 Deutsches Derby winner Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}).