There have been some great stories recently surrounding Group 1 winners, but the narrative behind Saturday's $500,000 Group 1 Goodwood Stakes winner Savatoxl takes some beating.
Consigned by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds to the 2017 Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale, Savatoxl left the ring unsold before the Alice Springs Turf Club stepped in and purchased him for $8000.
The son of Kuroshio was back in the ring at the Inglis Red Centre Yearling Sale, where his original trainer and part-owner Will Savage took him home for $18,000.
South African born jockey Barend Vorster was gifted a rails-hugging passage on the 5yo gelded son of Kuroshio to defeat the last start Group 1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes heroine Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt) by two lengths with the favourite Gytrash (Lope de Vega) a long-neck back in third.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding advances his record to 16 wins, a second and two thirds from 28 starts with earnings of $725,140.
"It’s all a bit surreal,” Tony McEvoy admitted.
The ownership group had enough faith in him to send him down. He won a Guineas in Darwin and ran close in the Darwin Cup.
“When he didn’t run the mile out in the Balaklava Cup, I asked them if I we could go back sprinting.
“He is a really good horse. He didn’t have the pace to lead today, and Barend showed all his experience to let the horse get into a nice rhythm.
“Barend’s work ethic is incredible, and the knowledge he has brought to the stable, we have enjoyed having him.”
Bred by Sheryl Atkinson, Savatoxl is the best of three winners from six to race out of the Savabeel mare Li’l Miss Hayley, who Atkison had purchased just $5,000 at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.
A half-sister to stakes-placed Total Response (Kheleyf), Li’l Miss Hayley has a yearling filly by Needs Further and was covered by him again last spring.
A Group II winning son of Exceed And Excel and a brother to stakes-winner Believe'n'succeed, the dam of the ill-fated Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck and Group 1 winner Bounding, Kuroshio shuttled to Great Britain for four seasons and did not return after 2018.
