Group Three winner Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) made the perfect start to his three-year-old season at Taupo on Wednesday when taking out the Poverty Bay Turf Club 3YO Colts/Geldings (1100m).
The son of Savabeel jumped well from barrier two and quickly settled outside leader When Stars Align. Savaglee continued to eke into his foes advantage and hit the lead with 200m to go, and he continued to build on his advantage to score a 1-1/4 length victory over race favourite Super Photon.
Purchased by The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams out of Waikato Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $400,000 on behalf of farm principal Dick Karreman, Savaglee performed well as a juvenile last season, winning two of his seven starts for trainers Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard, including the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m).
“I loved him (as a yearling), but I said (to Karreman) I would rather buy a filly for $400,000 and not a colt, but he said to buy a colt for a change,” Williams said.
“It put a bit of pressure on, but winning a Group Three took a bit of pressure off. He is heading in the right direction.”
Now in the sole care of Gerard, Savaglee was runner-up in a 900m trial behind Yaldi at Te Rapa earlier this month, which gave jockey Sam Spratt plenty of confidence heading into Wednesday.
“He trialled up pretty well, so I was fairly confident,” she said. “He was awesome, he settled beautifully, never got aggressive and he kicked away really easily. In the last 100m he had his ears pricked and was having a real good gawk around.”
Williams has been impressed with the way Savaglee has matured into his three-year-old season and said it bodes well for the future.
“The track work riders have been saying all year that he has grown up, he is easy to work with, and that makes a difference – they get streetwise and they start winning,” he said.
Williams was pleased with what he saw at Taupo, and he is excited to head to the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival with the colt.
“We are thrilled with him and there is still a fair amount of improvement in him, so we are heading in the right direction,” he said.
“He will go to the El Roca (Listed, 1200m) and Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m), and you might have one more or no more (starts) depending on how your horse is. It is the proven path and that is what we will be doing.”
