Eudora (NZ) (Pins) has proved to be an invaluable and much-loved member of the Waikato Stud broodmare band.
A racing career was never a possibility for the daughter of Pins, but she has endeared herself to the Matamata operation with her deeds at stud and a 100 percent record with all six of her foals successful.
“Eudora’s a great old girl, she had an early breeding start because she’s only got one eye and didn’t race and she’s done a fantastic job,” farm principal Mark Chittick said.
The star of the brood has been the dual Group One winner Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel) and her brother Nereus (NZ) (Savabeel) will bid to add to Eudora’s stakes record when he makes his Australian debut in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup (2400m).
Trained by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, the genuine four-year-old will chase the golden ticket into the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on offer to the winner.
“That’s the plan and Shaune and Colm have obviously done a great job with the horse,” Chittick said.
“All of us love racing a good horse and I’m certainly loving racing him and the reason we are is that we couldn’t sell him as a yearling.
“There was nothing wrong with him then and certainly nothing wrong with him now.”
Nereus failed to meet his $200,000 reserve when offered by Ohukia Lodge on behalf of Waikato Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale.
The gelding has five wins and three placings from his eight appearances, including a last-start success in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) with Michael McNab to partner him on Saturday.
Waikato Stud will also have major interest in the performance of the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Fashion Shoot (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington.
They co-bred the Group Three-winning daughter of Savabeel, who is out of the O’Reilly mare High Fashion (NZ) with the Forbes family and was sold to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $320,000 at Karaka.
“Howard and Pam are very good friends and have been great supporters of ours,” Chittick said.
There will also be intense interest on Saturday’s Gr.1 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick where undefeated youngster Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) steps out for trainer John O’Shea.
“All eyes will be on him and hopefully he can give Super Seth his first Group One winner,” Chittick said.
The colt was a debut winner at Hawkesbury in February and then claimed top honours in the Gr.3 Bailleu (1400m) at Rosehill.
Meanwhile, the farm’s star performer I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) has done well since his resuming third in the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
“He was very good first-up on a wet track and the form analysis report that I got from Peter (Moody) showed that he got held up between the 600m and 400m and the race was run at a slow tempo to start with,” Chittick said.
“The indications are that he’ll go up to Brisbane for two runs and then a couple of weeks in the paddock there before he goes back into work in Melbourne for the Manikato (Gr.1, 1200m) and The Everest (1200m).”
