Savabeel Mare Wins G2 Tauranga Stakes

Media Release - Saturday November 14

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable capped off a superb week when classy mare Concert Hall captured the G2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) at Tauranga on Saturday.

Concert Hall and Vinnie Colgan are well clear near the finish of the Gr2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes . Photo Credit: Trish Dunell

The Cambridge stable picked up the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday with Hypnos and made it a Group Two double in the space of 72 hours courtesy of the Joan Egan-bred and raced Concert Hall.

James has made no secret of the high regard he holds for the Savabeel six-year-old who has come of age in the past eighteen months, registering four wins from 13 starts with all of her victories coming in stakes company.

While James believes the mare’s future lies over ground, she is still sharp enough to compete over a mile and showed that prowess with a powerful home straight sprint to take out the Tauranga feature in the hands of Vinnie Colgan.

“I thought it was a terrific effort,” James said.

“She really sprinted hard when Vinnie asked her and it was quite an easy watch in the end.

“She’s very versatile and handles most ground up to a heavy surface so there were no worries with what they were running on today and she can really sprint on top of the ground.

“I’m delighted to see her performing like this for her owner as she has allowed us to take our time with her and that maturity, it is now paying dividends.

Advertisement

“You could bounce bullets off her now she is so tough and resilient.”

Nominated for the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thomson Auckland Cup (3200m) in March, James is toying with the idea of tackling a Group One feature mile with the mare for her next assignment.

“You never make any decisions about future races on raceday so we will take her home and see how she comes through this one before we look at future plans for her,” he said.

“I am toying with the idea of tackling the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) at Trentham though as she is going so well over the mile at present.

“That would be the strongest option on our radar at present.”

The victory completed the middle leg of a winning treble on the day for Colgan although it could have been four for the Matamata horseman as he was aboard three-year-old filly Devotioninmotion who was relegated back to second after a home straight bumping duel with Sophistical in race two on the card.

Mares dominated the finish of the Tauranga Stakes, with Darci Brahma six-year-old Sinarahma and progressive four-year-old Siracusa filling the minor placings. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Gartshore Tauranga Stakes Gr2 1600m

Tauranga Track: Dead(4) Time: 1:36.69
1
Concert Hall
- 6m Savabeel (AUS) x Classic Legacy (NZ) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: V A Colgan 57
2
2.5
Sinarahma
- 6m Darci Brahma (NZ) x Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar (USA))
Tnr: S A Sharrock Rdr: S M Mc Kay 57
3
2.6
Siracusa
- 4m Sebring (AUS) x Corinthia (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: S Ramsay & J Ritchie Rdr: A C Goindasamy 57
Sebring
4
3.0
Demonetization
- 6g All Too Hard (AUS) x Midnight Special (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: N W Tiley Rdr: A J Calder 59
5
3.2
Hay Tiger
- 8g Tiger Prawn (SAF) x Verry Fast (NZ) (Fast 'n' Famous (AUS))
Tnr: G J Old Rdr: J J Fawcett 59
6
3.4
Watch This Space
- 9g Elusive City (USA) x Multi Tasker (NZ) (Kaapstad (NZ))
Tnr: W P Hillis Rdr: B R Jones 59
7
8.2
Lavaglo
- 4m Rock 'n' Pop (AUS) x Little Glo (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit (USA))
Tnr: D J Miller Rdr: W F Pinn 57
8
13.2
El Nymph
- 4m El Roca (AUS) x White Nymph (NZ) (Sir Percy (GB))
Tnr: N & T Elliott Rdr: T D Thornton 57
9
15.5
True Enough
- 7g Nom Du Jeu (NZ) x Valda's Dream (NZ) (Sakura Seeking (USA))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: J K Riddell 59
More Reading...
Brilliant Return for Blueblood Zoustar Filly
Saturday’s NZ Horse Ambulance Winter Appeal 3YO (1000m) continued the Te Akau stranglehold over the three-year-old spring opener at Riccarton, but not with the horse that most expected.
Ruling Court Dies of Laminitis
Hugely talented Justify colt Ruling Court has been a headline horse since May last year when Godolphin paid €2.3million for him at the Arqana Breeze Up Sale and he is back in the headlines overnight with the tragic news of his euthanasia due to laminitis.
Melbourne Cup Dreaming for Kiwi Stayer
Peter and Shaun McKay are dreaming of a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) tilt with their quality stayer Wolfgang, and he will start his journey towards the iconic feature at Wanganui on Saturday.
Grand Prairie Wins G3 Up and Coming for Yulong
The Group III ATC Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday was aptly named with a classy field of promising colts chasing a first Black Type win and it was Yulong blueblood colt Grand Prairie that took the win in somewhat controversial circumstances.
Stars on Show at Caulfield Spring Opener
The 2025 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival officially bursts out of the gates this Saturday with the Stow Storage Caulfield Spring Opener, headlined by the first Group 1 of the season, the $750,000 Stow Storage Memsie Stakes.
Hello Youmzain Filly Lands Unique Stakes Treble
Emerging filly Platinum Diamond sparkled again in Saturday’s Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m), completing an unprecedented treble of winter age-group features.
Breeding to Win - 2025 G1 Memsie Stakes
The big guns step out and spring is on in earnest when the Memsie (1400m WFA) rolls around and what a cracking field we have in 2025 for the first G1 of the Southern spring with 11 runners and 10 are G1 winners!
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 28
Here is the full list of 33 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
So You Think Summer Star a Spring Contender
So You Think gelding Revelare was the find of the summer down in Melbourne racking up five successive wins between December and the start of March with the untapped 5YO putting up his hand as a spring contender when saluting at Caulfield on Saturday.
Spring Contender Too Darn Discreet Wins Heatherlie Stakes
Recording her third black type victory, talented Too Darn Hot mare Too Darn Discreet appears to be on track for further spring riches after winning the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield for trainer Dan O’Sullivan.