Trelawney Stud Celebrate G3 Winner for Savabeel

Media Release - Sunday October 24

Royally bred mare Cheaperthandivorce picked up the first stakes success of her burgeoning career when she finished powerfully in the home straight to claim the Gr.3 Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Sunday.

Cheaperthandivorce sails clear as she takes out the Gr.3 Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham Photo Credit: Race Images – Peter Rubery

The four-year-old daughter of super sire Savabeel and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Boundless had scored a decisive fresh-up victory over the same distance at Hastings earlier in the month, however there were some doubts that she could cope with the Slow9 track conditions on offer at Trentham.

Those fears were quickly put to bed as rider Danielle Johnson had the mare settled beautifully in midfield before easing into the race at the 600m.

Taken to the middle of the track Cheaperthandivorce sprinted quickly with the well favoured Justaskme and the pair set down to fight out the finish, with the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare proving too strong over the closing stages.

James had been happy with the mare leading into the race but began to have some doubts creep in once he found out about the wetter than predicted underfoot conditions.

“I was pretty confident until I knew how bad the track was,” he said.

“She had never struck a surface like that, even at the trials, so you never know how they will go until they get out there on it.

“Some handle it and some don’t so I was hopeful more than confident.

“She ended up travelling well and finished her race off very strongly, so that was very pleasing to see.”

James believes the mare has what it takes to tackle some of the better staying events over the summer after strengthening up nicely during her winter break.

“She was a bit frail last year, but still managed to run fourth in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m),” he said.

Advertisement

“She is very lightly-framed but has matured well and we have also changed her gear around a little, which has helped with her development.

“She looked nicely placed today and even with the win she should still get into races like the Counties or Avondale Cup with a nice light weight.”

Cheaperthandivorce has now won three of her 8 starts, with today’s victory adding significant value to any future breeding career.

The four-year-old is the first filly out of Boundless and is raced by her breeders Brent, Cherry and Faith Taylor of Trelawney Stud.

The amusing moniker originates from a trip to the Inglis Broodmare Sale in 2011 where Boundless was being offered at auction to dissolve her racing partnership.

Cherry Taylor, who retained a share in Boundless after selling her as a yearling, was keen to buy the mare to add to the Trelawney Stud broodmare band.

“Brent (Husband) was at the sales and had been trying to buy a broodmare all day but hadn’t been able to,” Cherry Taylor recalled.

“He went to A$700,000 to get Boundless, which was a lot of money, and as he walked out of the ring someone commented to him that it was a lot to spend on a broodmare and Brent replied with ‘it’s cheaper than divorce’.”

The win continued a good weekend for Trelawney Stud, with the Taylors racing dominant Matamata winner Vamos Bebe, while they will also be represented by Pareanui Bay, second favourite for Monday’s Gr.2 James And Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Gee & Hickton Thompson Hcp Gr3 1600m

Trentham Track: Slow(9) Time: 1:39.81
1
Cheaperthandivorce
- 4m Savabeel (AUS) x Boundless (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy (USA))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: D S Johnson 53
2
1.8
Justaskme
- 6g No Excuse Needed (GB) x Often (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: S A Sharrock Rdr: R H Schofer 60
3
3.1
Crowning Star
- 5m Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Lets Have Some Fun (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: J Benner & H Wynyard Rdr: D G Bradley 53
Hallowed Crown
4
3.9
Times Ticking
- 6g Tavistock (NZ) x Laoghaire (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: A R Macgregor Rdr: T Yanagida 56.5
5
4.7
Mauna Kea
- 8g Per Incanto (USA) x City Class Rose (NZ) (City On A Hill (USA))
Tnr: P R Moseley Rdr: S J Macnab 55
6
8.5
Justastate
- 6m Falkirk (NZ) x Justawins (NZ) (Stark South (USA))
Tnr: Barry Coxhead Rdr: L T Hemi 53
7
15.8
Tappy's One
- 5g Proisir (AUS) x Tappy Lee (NZ) (One Cool Cat (USA))
Tnr: K & I Taplin Rdr: C W Johnson 55.5
8
20.3
Bellissimo
- 9m Showcasing (GB) x Belle (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: B R Marriott Rdr: F W Lazet 53
More Reading...
$1million Mehmas a Stakes-Winner for Godolphin
One of the big ticket purchases for Godolphin at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year was the half-brother to triple Group I winner Perfect Power by Mehmas and this 1million guinea purchase opened his stakes account overnight in the UK.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 18
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Melbourne Cup Contender for Wootton Bassett
Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) has been doing a lot of amazing things this year and he might just have a Melbourne Cup contender with the Joseph O’Brien trained Al Riffa putting himself in the picture with a facile five length win in the Group II Curragh Cup (1m6f) overnight.
Five Consecutive Wins For Spirit Of Boom’s Shining Smile
Ending his Autumn campaign with three consecutive Listed victories, two-year-old Spirit Of Boom colt Shining Smile resumed from a spell on Saturday, winning the $150,000 VRC Member Sarah Hart Trophy (1000m).
G3 Success For 2YO Maurice Filly Ethereum Girl
Improving off a close-up second in the Listed Oaklands Plate last start, two-year-old Maurice filly Ethereum Girl was too classy, winning the Group 3 South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Unbeaten Filly a New Stakes-Winner for Ghaiyyath
Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (IRE) is not returning to Australia this year after four seasons at Darley Victoria, but he was in the news overnight with a new stakes-winner after his unbeaten three year-old filly Al Uqda won the Listed Vichy Prix Madame Jean Couturie (2000m).
Robusto The Ultimate Inglis Digital Success Story
When Churchill (IRE) gelding Robusto was offered on Inglis Digital last September he was a solid Saturday class horse that had claimed a Benchmark 88 event on July 20, fast forward 12 months and he’s a $2.1million earner with the Listed ATC Winter Challenge (1500m) on his resume.
Karaka Graduates Shoot for Selangor’s Seven-Figure Prize
A quality cast of four-year-olds will clash in Malaysia’s richest race this weekend, with a significant NZB influence throughout the 16-horse field.
Two to Black Book for Darby Racing
Darby Racing celebrated another feature race win with their savvy $160,000 Inglis Digital purchase Robusto in the Listed ATC Winter Challenge at Rosehill on Saturday and in his post-race interview Bjorn Baker revealed they had purchased two new tried horses last week, so who are they?
What Stallions Can Step Up in Hong Kong?
The Hong Kong racing season is over for another year, so a look at their sire tables by earnings and winners is always interesting and there is no surprise at the top with now pensioned Deep Field claiming his fourth consecutive champion sire title, but given he is now out of the picture the big question is what sires will replace him?